Nightmare Scenarios
by spooksfan08
Summary: A face from Ros' past has returned to haunt her. Can Lucas be there when his family needs him? Will the past change the way he thinks about Ros? A vendetta against the team threatens to destroy Section D forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer I do not own Spooks. All copyright belongs to KUDOS and BBC television. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. This story follows on from my others, picking up where The Spy's Daughter finished. All characters from 2.1 to 10.6 may appear.**

**Chapter One. Night Calls.**

Ros stared at the ceiling, her mind too active for sleep to claim her. Lucas lay silently next to her, snoring lightly as she rolled onto her side to observe him. She prayed it wasn't going to be another night full of nightmares and half forgotten dreams. Lucas mumbled in his sleep before turning, his face contorted in pain.

"Lucas." Ros touched his chest. "Lucas, it's me. You're dreaming."

"No." Lucas mumbled. Somewhere in the dark recesses of his mind water was being poured onto his head. He could barely breathe. Amy cried for her daddy but he couldn't get away from the men holding him to go to her.

"Amy." Ros sighed as she swung her legs out of bed. The four year old stood in the doorway of the room.

"I had a bad dream."

"Ok." Ros nodded. "You ok now?"

"Daddy went away. He went and we couldn't find him. Uncle Zaf looked too and we still couldn't find him."

Lucas stirred as he heard the two women in his life talking. "Amy." Ros scooped her up just as James began crying. "Stay here, I'll get your brother."

"Ok."

"Good girl."

"You ok, Shorty?"

"I had a bad dream." Amy whispered.

"So did I." Lucas answered. "What was your dream about?" Lucas watched as his daughter frowned in concentration. She turned and faced him, as Lucas realised just how much she looked like Ros.

"You went away and we couldn't find you." She spoke quietly, unaware her mother and baby brother were in the doorway of the bedroom.

"That is not going to happen." Lucas spoke calmly. "I will always come home."

"What did you dream about?" Amy curled on her side. Lucas looked up as Ros and James walked back into the room. James was almost asleep when Ros reached the bed.

"I don't remember." Lucas sighed as his daughter closed her eyes. "I really don't know."

"I think I do." Ros held his gaze. "It's not happening. Not now." She kissed him gently on the lips as James wriggled in her arms. She had a feeling there wouldn't be much sleep for any of them that night.

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"Damn!" Harry slammed the phone back on his desk just as Ruth walked in. She raised an eyebrow before pausing to wait for him to calm down.

"Harry?"

"Towers is an idiot."

"We established that a while ago." Ruth smiled at him as he got to his feet.

"I know." He watched as her eyes fell to his tie. Something was wrong. He just had no idea what. "Ruth? What is it?"

"I may be wrong."

"Why is it whenever you say that I worry?"

"I don't know, it's just. Well Catherine called from work. Something about an operative of theirs in Sarajevo found murdered."

"Why does that concern us?" Harry still wasn't happy about his oldest child working for Six.

"Because the operative was known to Ros. And Jack Colville."

"He's been dead for years."

"Yes, but."

"Ruth?" Harry touched her hand as she sighed. "Go on."

"I ran the name through the system. The operative was named in Jack's book. The one he convinced Ros to read."

"The one that said I was complicit in torture and murder. I remember." Harry's voice dropped.

"Yes, that's the one. John Peters is the second man named by Colville to be found dead in as many weeks. Someone has a vendetta."

"You think someone is killing the people in Jack's book? Why?"

"I don't know but Ros is named." Ruth bit her bottom lip. "Peters was a her equivalent rank at 6. He's been working out of the Eastern European office for fifteen years. Knew his job inside and out. Just like Ros. The operative from the Russian office, Franka Lewis was killed by the same method five days earlier. She was also a long serving officer. The only difference was the note found on Peters' body."

"What did it say?"

"My translation may be rusty."

"I am sure it's better than mine." Ruth blushed slightly.

"His father would be avenged."

"You think he's coming after us?" Harry frowned. Ruth shook her head slightly.

"No Harry, he's coming after Ros."

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A/N Is it worth going on? Is Ruth right? Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**History**

"I have to talk to Ros." Harry stared at the file Ruth had handed him. "Is she here?"

"Not yet." Ruth stared at him. Harry nodded.

"See she comes straight to my office when she gets in. I'm going to have to speak to that infernal woman at 6. These operatives all worked with Ros when she was in 6?"

"Yes, Catherine did her research. Both worked with Ros when she was with 6 in the Russia office and later in Kazakstan. Franka was her junior officer before Ros jumped ship to us."

"Thank you Ruth." Harry smiled slightly, knowing his daughter had fitted in well over the river, however much he still hated the idea of her working for the service. Ruth frowned slightly before turning and walking out of the office. It was going to be difficult to convince Ros she may really be in danger and Ruth knew that if Harry and Lucas couldn't manage that there was a very real danger she was going to walk headfirst into whatever trap was being set.

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Lucas jogged behind Ros as they made their way into Thames House. Stan raised a hand as Lucas smiled. Ros nodded towards the friendly security guard before stepping into the lift that would take them to the Grid. The tension seemed to radiate from her in waves. Lucas had no idea why.

"You ok?" Lucas asked as he watched Ros stare into space.

"Fine. Amy woke me."

"Yeah, poor kid. Wonder what these nightmares are about."

"She thinks one or both of us are going to leave her." Ros stated. "And lets' face it, in this line of work that is a distinct possibility. She's growing up, she knows we are slightly different to other families. It's a wonder she doesn't think Carrie is her mum the amount of time she spends with her."

"So? What are you saying? Transfer to a desk job? Cut back the hours?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Ros snapped as the lift doors opened. Lucas shook his head as he watched her walk towards the Pods aware that he didn't know half of what was going through his wife's head. They stepped into the Grid to a room full of organised chaos. Calum, Tariq and Malcolm were hovering over their latest gadget while Beth and Erin glared at a computer screen. Adam, Dimitri and Zaf sat in a corner discussing the earlier case while Alec walked towards Ruth's desk. Zoe picked up an arm full of files and headed towards Ruth.

"What is this all about?" Zoe asked. Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Zo, this is Section D. Counter terrorism is our specialty. I thought you read the job description."

"You are not funny, White."

"Ah Zo, you wound me. You really do."

"What do you want?" Ruth rested her head on one hand and watched as Zoe placed the files on the edge of Ruth's desk.

"Why are we going through files of dead MI-6 officers. Jack Colville had been dead for years."

"Colville?" Ros snapped. "Jack Colville."

"Yeah." Zoe turned to her as Ruth closed her eyes and swore. "MI-6's golden boy until a few years before his death. I thought you'd know him. Zaf said he recognised the name."

"Of course I recognise the bloody name. He recruited me." She stalked off towards Harry's office knowing he would have to tell her what was going on.

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"Infernal bloody woman." Harry slammed the phone down on his desk. "Speaking of which." He muttered as Ros walked into the office.

"What the bloody Hell is going on?"

"Ros, it is customary to knock before barging in here."

"It is also customary to tell your Section Chief what is going on before she has to find out half the story from a junior officer." Ros' voice was dangerously low.

"Who?"

"Zoe."

"Ros, sit down."

"Jack Colville is dead. He blew his brains out in front of me."

"I remember."

"Then why are we looking into his affairs now?"

"That book."

"The fake book he was never planning to publish? The one he used to get the bug in here?"

"Yes." Harry watched as her eyes darkened.

"Harry. It was a fake."

"The names in it were very real. We have intel to suggest people mentioned in the infernal thing are ending up dead. Two MI-6 officers have been murdered in the last two weeks. Both officers you and Colville worked with when you were at 6."

"Who?"

"Franka Lewis and John Peters."

"Oh my God." Ros closed her eyes. "I haven't seen either of them since my father was arrested."

"I'm sorry Ros. But a note was found on Franka's body. One which suggests whoever did this is out for revenge against the people that were named in that book."

"Note? I need to see it." Ros stated cooly. Harry nodded before handing her the note.

"It's a translation. The original was in Serbian."

"My father will be avenged." Ros read it outload. "Father? Jack didn't have any children. Not that he told me about."

"Ros, we gathered your relationship with Colville wasn't entirely professional."

"Harry, I was a young officer. And it has no bearing on this case. He's dead, even he can't use my relationship with him against me."

"No, but whoever wrote that note can."

"The last time I saw Colville he wanted me dead. You know that. He only turned the gun on himself when he knew that there was no way out."

"That's as may be but I want you off this case. Adam can take the lead."

"No." Ros glared at him.

"It's too dangerous."

"What am I supposed to do? Sit in some God awful safe house and wait to be murdered? Not a chance in Hell. I'm working this case. You know I'm the only one who knows Jack well enough to know what's going on. If he did have a kid he kept it secret for a reason. Just because I'm hidden away doesn't mean he or she wont come after the rest of the team. Two people are already dead. You know the best way to find this scum is to let me do my job."

"You are too emotionally involved."

"And isn't Lucas? Ruth was here when Jack started playing silly buggers. So was Tariq."

"Ros."

"Are you pulling them from the case?"

"No."

"Then isn't it you that's too emotionally involved? You know we put our lives on the line everytime we turn up for work. Why is this case any different? If I went into hiding every time someone wanted to kill me I'd never be in work."

"Are you sure?" Harry watched her closely, knowing Ruth was watching him through the office windows.

"Yes." Ros stepped toward him. "I can do this, Harry. You know I can."

"Ok, ok." He folded his arms, deep in thought. "But if it gets too close I will pull you from this case." He crossed to the door and opened it. "If it gets too close I will pull you from the op. Understood." He turned as Ros nodded once. The rest of the team began to prepare to head to the Briefing Room. Harry couldn't shake the feeling he should get Ros as far away from the op as he could.

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A/N Please review. More from the rest of the team next time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine. Wont be able to update for a few days :(**

**Realisation**

Ros followed Harry into the Briefing Room glaring at the white board as she did. Ruth stood with her back to the room as she tried to get the image she wanted on the screen. Seconds later the picture of Jack Colville filled the screen. Ros took a deep breath and fought the urge to be sick.

"Harry?" Adam avoided Ruth's gaze. "Colville died before we came home. Why is he of interest now?"

"Good question." Ros answered as she took up her customary place next to the wall. Zaf and Adam sat together while Beth sat at the end of the table.

"Jack Colville." Dimitri shrugged his shoulders. "Never heard of him."

"He came across our radar when you were still with the SBS." Harry explained. Lucas kept his eyes on Ros knowing his wife was more affected by the case than she wanted the rest of the team to know.

"Jack Colville." Ruth turned and took her seat next to Harry and Zaf. "He was the golden boy of MI-6. Left under a cloud after an operation in Serbia. He is responsible for the death of two MI-5 officers who he believed killed his girlfriend."

"Revenge?" Adam asked.

"What else? But he's dead." Ros stated. "He killed himself in front of me."

"He was a good bloke. Best MI6 officer I worked with." Zaf shook his head. "What made him turn?"

"He was brilliant at his job." Ros agreed. "He recruited both Adam and myself."

"Yeah." Adam stared at the screen. "Why did he blame MI5 for his girlfriend getting killed?"

"Long story." Harry intervened. "The fact of the matter is he is dead. Now some joker is killing officers using his name as an excuse. In the last two weeks two officers have been brutally murdered."

"Both officers were mentioned in the book he asked Ros to read a couple of years ago."

"More than a couple of years." Ros folded her arms and glared at the image of Colville on the screen. "A number of officers were named but he never intended the book to be published. It was a fake, half of what he wrote never happened. He just used it as a way in here."

"The thing was bugged." Tariq sighed. "I remember. You had me change the name on the system so it looked as if you were the officer that signed the order that lead to the girlfriend being killed."

"You did what?" Zaf turned to face her.

"I was in 6 at the time the order was made. It was just as plausible that I signed it as anyone else."

"He would have killed you." Lucas watched as Zaf voiced what he already knew.

"And? He did try but I'm still here. He isn't."

"The note?" Beth tried to bring the discussion back to the case. "Ruth, you said there was a note."

"Yes." Ruth pressed a few buttons and the screen filled with the image of the second dead body. Ros closed her eyes as she realised Franka's body was on the screen. "It was written in Serbian and left on the woman's body. Basically the killer is looking for revenge for their father's death. He or she clearly thinks MI5 are responsible."

"And we aren't?" Ros stated calmly. Harry and Lucas exchanged glances.

"No." Harry looked at her. "Section D is not. Neither of those officers were anywhere near Serbia when his girlfriend was killed. It's a vendetta. And a badly thought out one at that. Now I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon arguing with that infernal woman at 6 to try and get as much information as I can on Jack Colville."

"Why?" Dimitri asked. "Can't Ruth hack into their system?"

"I do not hack." Ruth turned to face her friend, smirking slightly. "I just have a look at their information. I may occasionally borrow some data but I do not hack."

Dimitri smiled at her as Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well, can't you have a look?"

"Oh I will." Ruth nodded. "You can bet that Harry won't be able to get the information I can."

"I am not even going to think about you going through security services databases." Harry looked at her. "And you know I can't sanction that."

"I know." Ruth nodded.

"So?" Zoe looked up from her paperwork.

"Look through the database." Harry smirked as Ruth's eyes lit up. "Ros, you get to spend the rest of the afternoon with me at the Foreign Office. If MI-6 let one of their brightest and best go sp spectacularly off the rails that he has someone trying to avenge his death I think the Foreign Secretary and my counterpart at 6 can provide us with the information we need."

"Great, an afternoon with James Bond wannabes." Ros pushed herself away from the wall and began giving instructions to the rest of the team. Tariq and Calum left the Briefing Room with Malcolm keen to get to the computers and start searching while Lucas and the others left quietly. Ros looked at Harry once, almost daring him to take her off the case before following Zoe and Zaf out of the room.

"Harry." Ruth pushed her chair away from the table. "This book."

"What about it?"

"There is no mention of a child." Ruth looked up and met his eye.

"I know that."

"Then why write what they did? Whoever it was?"

"Someone who saw Colville as a father-figure?" Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe." Ruth nodded. "Ros is in danger, isn't she?"

"Yes." Harry looked down, wondering how he was going to be able to protect his Section Chief. "Yes, she is."

"Right." Ruth held his gaze. "But she isn't the only member of Section D written about. We all know that book is nonsense but your name is in there too."

"Ruth." Harry steppef towards her, trying not to see the fear in her eyes. "I'll be fine. Ros will be fine - we will stop this before anyone else gets hurt." Ruth nodded as Tariq burst into the room.

"Harry."

"What?"

"Call for you on line one."

"Thankyou Tariq, callers have been known to wait."

"It's Catherine. There's been another murder. One of Erin's former colleagues from K. Found dead ten minutes ago."

"Who?" Ruth asked.

"Lisa Davies. Codename Hightower. Stabbed to death in her flat."

Ruth closed her eyes as Harry glared.

"Ther's a Hightower in chapter 3. Franka and Peter were in chapter one and two. He's going in order." Ruth bit her bottom lip.

"And Ros was in chappter 4." Harry turned to face her. "This stops now." He walked out of the Briefing Room followed by Ruth and Tariq. She avoided Tariq's eye only hoping Harry was right.

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A/n more soon. Please review


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Research**

Harry walked along the polished floors of the Foreign Office as he tried to order his thoughts. He had never doubted Jack Colville was dangerous. It was what had made him such a legend at 6. What he did doubt was Ros' ability to remain neutral. he knew if Jane was involved he would have found it difficult to remain in control but so far Ros was the epitomy of calm and collected.

"Ros, can I ask you something?" She paused as he spoke.

"What?" Her eyes remained as cool and guarded as ever.

"Do you believe jack Colville fathered a child while in Serbia?"

"No." Ros stated. "No I don't believe Jack had a child. Firstly I was with him before he went to Serbia. You know that. If he could have had children there is a very good chance I'd have been the mother."

"Ros?"

"I cannot believe I have to spell this out to you of all people." Ros' face hardened slightly. "I could have children before. Before what happened with Harrison. Amy and James are proof of that. Jack wasn't one for contraception and I often forgot, yet I never got pregnant. Think about it."

"Ah." Harry looked away, wishing he had never asked. "I see. So why the note?"

"Some sick mind's out there." Ros turned as she heard heels clipping on the polished floor.

"Ah Harry. Ros."

"Foreign Secretary." Harry turned to face the smaller woman. "I trust you know the situation we are in."

"Yes, it is a bit of a pickle." She smiled. Ros glared at her.

"The death of three outstanding officers in the field." Ros stated calmly. "More than just a pickle, don't you think?" She walked past both Harry and the Foreign Secretary into the office where Towers and a thin man were waiting.

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"Thanks." Ruth bit her bottom lip as Malcolm placed a cup of tea on the edge of her desk. Her eyes stayed on the computer screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard.

"You're welcome." Malcolm smiled as he watched the computer screen in front of her change. In a matter of minutes she had managed to successfully negotiate several layers of firewalls and was looking through the databases of several European police departments.

"The first two officers who were murdered. Neither one had worked in Serbia for fifteen years. Franka had been the most recent."

"Ok." Erin approached from the other side of the Grid. Ruth closed her eyes as she heard the strain in the new girl's voice. It was hard to believe Erin had worked for any other section but with the latest murder it was easy to see how much she cared about her former colleagues. "What about Lisa?"

"She was still with Section K." Erin nodded as Ruth spoke. "But on Secondment to six. I can see no real ties with her and Colville. She's mentioned in the book as the girlfriend of one of Colville's colleagues. That's all. Whoever did this killed her because of where she worked and her name rather than anything that may or may not have happened in Serbia twenty years ago."

"If her death was connected." Zoe spoke quietly.

"Bit of a bloody coincidence if it wasn't." Calum snapped. Erin turned to him and raised her eyebrows. "Oh don't look at me like that. You know as well as I do Lisa shouldn't have been involved in this. She was a good girl - a desk spook."

"That doesn't mean trouble doesn't find you." Tariq interrupted. Ruth merely rolled her eyes. Erin shook her head.

"This is bs. We are sat here while some sick son of a , is out there killing MI-5 officers because one burnt out spook tried to get revenge before blowing his brains out. I'm sorry but you can analyse the situation all you want but it doesn't change the fact three bloody good officers are dead." She stormed towards the Pods almost knocking Lucas off her feet as she passed.

"Erin?" Lucas turned as the brunette stormed through the pods.

"Let her go." Malcolm sighed. Zoe shook her head, remembering how the Grid had changed after Helen's murder so many years ago. She had seen Tom react the same way and hated every second of it. Part of her wanted to grab her jacket and run home to Emma and Danny but another part of her knew she had to help the others end the vendetta that was going on around them.

"Any news?" Lucas jogged down the steps. Ruth shook her head.

"Ros and Harry are still at the Foreign Office. I can't find anything of significance on Lisa but the other victims knew. But he is going in order. And before anyone calls me sexist I'm using data which shows seriel killers tend to be men in the majority of cases."

"Ok." Lucas smiled slightly. "But?"

"He's going in order. Peter was in chapter one. Franka in two and Lisa in three. Even though there is literally one sentance with her name included."

"And Ros and Harry?"

"Chapter four and five." Zoe spoke as Ruth fell silent. "It seems our Section Head and Section Chief have a serial killer out to get them."

"Yeah." Lucas looked at the floor.

"Oh God." Ruth turned her chair to face the others. "We have to get hold of anyone in the field and bring them back here."

"Ruth?" Malcolm watched.

"Calum, find Erin and get her back here."

"Ok." Calum was out the pods before anyone could argue.

"What is it?" Lucas felt the familiar twist of fear in his guts.

"He is after Ros and Harry but chapter four outlines a botched terrorist attack on the Houses of Parliament that was stopped because we stepped in after recieving intel from Franka."

"And you think?"

"It may be a long shot but if the killer is taking out people mentioned in the book." Tariq stared at the others. "Who's to say he's not going to try to recreate what he sees as going wrong?"

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A/N Filler chapter, please let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Talk**

Erin looked out over the city as she tried to work out what was going on. Good officers had been killed with impunity and she had lost an old friend. Anger burned in her stomach as she thought about what had happened and how the families of the victims must be coping. The clouded sky began to darken. She didn't care, it suited her mood.

"You ok?"

"Of course." She snapped as she heard Calum approach.

"You know something?" He paused as he reached the woman who had almost been his sister-in-law.

"What?"

"I'm surrounded by intelligent women everyday. Catherine, you, Ruth, Ros, Beth, Zoe." He shook his head as he thought of his fiancé. "Even Rosie is as bright as a button."

"So?"

"The blokes around here you expect to have a bit of the neathanderal about them. You know, macho man complex. It goes with the territory." He ran a hand through his hair.

"What are you trying to say?" She smiled slightly as she turned to face him.

"I expect them to hide everything, to do that crap macho act. You are not ok. And you can say that. Lisa was a lovely girl but somehow she had a connection with Colville. That connection lead to her death."

"Calum."

"No, listen to me. The police searched her flat but they wont know what to look for. They don't know her. We do."

"So what are you suggesting?" Erin raised an eyebrow. "We break into Lisa's flat and search it? Go through her personal possessions?"

"She was killed at home. Police could find no source of forced entry. Which tells me one of two things happened."

"She let her killer in because she knew them."

"Or." Erin raised an eyebrow.

"Or?"

"She didn't let them in. The killer knew how to get in the flat without being seen."

"Suggesting a spook broke in." Erin frowned. "She was killed by a spook."

"And the only way we can find out is if we go over there." Calum watched as Erin nodded and followed him back into the building.

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Ruth stared at her computer willing the minutes to pass so that Harry and Ros would be back at the Grid sooner. She hated to think what could be happening with the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary in the same room. Malcolm tapped away at his computer as Tariq walked towards her desk.

"Calum called."

"Where has he gone?" Malcolm asked. He was still annoyed at the younger man for leaving so suddenly when they were on the verge of finding something useful.

"He's with Erin."

"Why doesn't that fill me with confidence?" Zoe snapped as she pulled her jacket on. "Look, if the Houses of Parliament are a legitimate target someone needs to tell them. We have to take the threat seriously."

"Of course." Ruth looked at her. "I can't get hold of Ros and Harry. Adam isn't answering his phone either." She watched as Zoe got to her feet. "Get Zaf or one of the others to meet me there."

"Zoe, you haven't done any field work since Danny was born."

"Well, it's about time I got back in to it then." She headed towards the Pods as Ruth and Malcolm exchanged glances.

"I'll call Alec, get him to meet her." Tariq picked up the phone before Ruth turned back to her computer hoping that her husband and friend were ok.

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"Can you believe that?" Towers huffed as he walked alongside Ros and Harry. Ros tactfully remained silent, her distaste for the politician radiating from her as she walked. Harry smirked.

"Yes, I can."

"Three dead officers, a fake book and it all links back to a former officer of theirs."

"Jack Colville." Ros stated. "His name was Jack Colville."

"Ah yes, of course." Towers narrowed his eyes. "I forgot, you had dealings with him."

"I worked with him at 6." Ros stopped as Towers rolled his eyes. "As did Adam Carter and Zafar Younis. I believe he also helped to train Beth Bailey when she originally applied for 6. Would you see them as compromised?"

"No." Towers huffed. "I. Well, that is to say your personal relationship is rumoured to have been closer than most."

"Sir." Harry snapped as Ros glared at him. "That is hardly relevent."

"Oh I think it is highly relevent considering what happened last time the pair met."

"The last time we met he blew his brains out." Ros kept her voice dangerously low. "He wanted to use Section D to find out who signed that order. He died when he realised it wasn't me he wanted to kill, it wasn't me he wanted revenge on. It was the system."

"And now?"

"Now someone out there is using Jack's name to attack us." Harry stepped forward slightly. "And we are needed back at Thames House." He looked at Ros, silently ordering her to back off.

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"Ok." Zaf slammed the car door as Adam got out of the car. "So this bloke knew Colville?"

"Yeah." Adam nodded before crossing the road. Zaf quickened his step to keep up.

"And you worked with him at 6?"

"No." Adam shoved his hands in his pockets, ducking out of range of a security camera that sat just above the impressive rote iron gate. "Jack knew him but he was just an asset. I'm hoping he'll remember me."

"And?" Zaf smirked. "As if anyone could forget you."

"Thanks." Adam rolled his eyes. He pressed the security buzzer just before a disembodied voice could be heard through the speaker.

"Who is it?"

"Andrew Cotter." Adam lied. He hadn't used that particular alias since he had left 6. "I'm here to talk to Nikoli."

"Nikoli?"

"Can we come in?" Adam asked. "We've come a long way."

"We?"

"My associate Nazeem Khan."

"Who?" Zaf mouthed. Adam shrugged. Zaf pulled a face. "Is that the first name you thought of?"

Adam nodded as the iron gates swung inwards. Both men walked through the gates towards the well manicured door on the opposite side of an equally impressive lawn.

"He made his money when the Soviet Union broke up. Colville turned him, got a lot of very useful information on the FSB operation in the UK." Adam explained. "He is the one person that wasn't mentioned in the book."

"You and Fiona aren't in there."

"True." Adam conceded. "But we hardly made an impression on his life. Not compared to some."

"Ros for example." Zaf watched as Adam took a deep breath.

"She wasn't always the Ice Queen. Colville helped make her that way. The man was cold, cruel and looked after himself. That was until Serbia. After that he left the service. There was a rumour he was disgraced and decommissioned." Adam fell silent as the door opened.

"What do you want?"

"Nikoli, is that anyway to greet an old friend?" Adam stepped nearer to him and the smaller man stepped back, almost cowering. "Jack Colville and his contacts in Serbia."

"Jack is dead."

"His associates aren't." Adam remained silent as he watched Zaf. The way he was glaring at the Russian man was so unlike him that Adam was beginning to worry. "My friend is in danger and we believe you have information to help us deal with the situation."

"Ah, I see."

"And?" Adam spoke. "Look, we can either do this here or we can go back to base."

"Yeah."Zaf agreed. "But how is that going to look when you are seen by the rest of the world as the former Russian hardman walking into the heart of British Security? How will your former colleagues judge you then?"

"Ok, ok. All I know is there was this woman in Serbia. Beautiful girl. Jack adored her, left the service for her. When she died he was a broken man."

"We know this." Adam glared. The smaller man closed his eyes.

"Do you know this? The woman had a daughter. A young girl then but must be a grown woman now. She always said she would avenge her mother's death. With Colville trying to do the same her desire for revenge took a back seat. Now he is dead I wonder if that has resurfaced."

"Her name." Adam watched as Nikoli took his glasses off and replaced them.

"You are the investigators. You find out."

"Nikoli." Zaf's voice took on a warning edge. Adam watched his friend, knowing he was on the verge of loosing control. It was obvious Nikoli felt the same way.

"Katerina Vladir. That is all I know. Kat." The door slammed before Adam or Zaf could say another word. Adam nodded towards the car, aware that time was running out.

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"I don't like this." Ruth stated as Beth and Dimitri walked back onto the Grid. Beth looked exhausted while Dimitri looked angry.

"What?" Dimitri asked as he sat down.

"It's too obvious." Ruth tapped her pen against the desk. "It's just so obvious."

"Obvious to you." Beth rested her head on one hand. Malcolm lifted his head from the computer in front of him.

"The Houses of Parliament probably has the best security in the UK after Buckingham Palace."

"And?"

"And Beth." Ruth 's brain began working overtime. "It is the worst place to attack if you are a terrorist organisation. Over the years we've failed to stop a handful of attacks but there has never been a succesful attack on the Houses of Parliament."

"Even Guy Fawkes buggered that one up." Tariq smiled.

"Exactly." Ruth smiled at him.

"So what are you saying?" Dimitri frowned. "Come on, Pearce. What has that brain of yours come up with this time."

"The book states that Jack foiled an attack on the Houses on Parliament." Ruth was warming to her theme. "So we all focus on that building, even though Parliament isn't in session and the PM is out of the country."

"It's going to be somewhere else." Dimitri stated.

"No really?" Beth answered sarcastically. "Where?"

"Us." Ruth bit her bottom lip. "I think Thames House is the target."

#####################################

Harry drove towards Thames House with Ros in silence. She had barely said a word since they had left the Home Secretary and Harry knew she was probably silently plotting revenge. He glanced in the rear view mirror and frowned. Ros immediately recognised the look Harry l.

"Company?" Ros asked.

"So it seems." He pressed his foot to the accelerator as the car behind them kept on their tail. Harry weaved the 4x4 through the London traffic hoping that the car behind them would be swallowed up in the dense traffic. Harry swore as he saw the blue Nissan gain on them. He swung the car to the left, dangerously taking the corner in fifth gear and almost of two tyres. Ros swore as she pulled her gun from the back of her jeans. She tried to aim the gun at the car behind them but knew she was risking killing innocent civilians.

"Ros." Harry barked as he swung the car the other way.

"This is getting ridiculous." Ros snapped as she ignored Harry.

The glass in the back windscreen splintered as Ros fell back in her seat. Harry swore as he ducked the flying glass that erupted from behind him. Ros fell backwards, hitting her back on the dashboard. He fought to keep control of the car as Ros slumped next to him. Seconds later the car skidded dangerously out of control hitting the curb before rolling down the embankment coming to a sickening halt feet below.

#######################

A/N Next time Harry and Ruth and Lucas and Ros meet up. Was Adam's asset lying? Was Ruth right? PLease review.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Awakening**

Ros opened her eyes and gasped as she realised the car was hanging precariously on the side. The wound in her shoulder throbbed mercilessly as she tried to work out what was going on. Harry swore as he opened his eyes.

"You alive?" Ros asked as he stared at her in disbelief.

"Apparently. Either that or I'm a very convincing ghost." She winced as she tried to move. Her head was lodged against the windscreen and her leg trapped beneath her.

"Do you think you can move?" Harry asked. His voice calmer than he really felt.

"Dunno until we try."

####################

The Grid was a hive of activity as Lucas returned to the Grid. Ruth was tapping away at the computer while Adam was talking on the phone. Malcolm and Tariq were trying to get the CCTV footage up and running while Beth shouted to Dimitri at the other side of the Grid.

"Ok, where's the fire?" Lucas leant against Adam's desk as Ruth swore. "What's happened?"

"The clowns called in five minutes ago. A car matching the description of one of our pool cars has been involved in an RTC just outside of Whitehall."

"Harry and Ros." Lucas stated as his blood ran cold. He knew Ros had been distant with him for the last few weeks. He knew it was more to do with what happened with Harrison at the private school months earlier than anything that had gone on between them but he couldn't shake the feeling Ros was in real trouble.

"So far no casualties. That's what has thrown the clowns." Beth explained. "The car is definitely a 4x4 but it isn't Harry's 4x4. When I say there were no casualties I mean no one was found in the car. There was no sign of Ros or Harry."

"What?" Lucas looked at Ruth who pushed herself away from the computer and marched into Harry's office.

"We'll find them." Adam stated. "The police said there was signs of gunfire but not much blood inside the car."

"Doesn't mean they weren't taken." Lucas was heading towards the Pods as Adam spoke.

"True." Beth nodded. "But we will find them."

#############

"No sign of forced entry." Calum stated as he walked around Lisa's abandoned flat in Peckham. Erin nodded as she looked around the room. The flat had been searched from top to bottom by the police forensic team, leaving a slight smell in the air that reminded Erin of hospitals. Calum left her in the living room before heading into Lisa's bedroom.

"She was killed in the kitchen." Erin stated. "The other victims were killed in hotel rooms."

"Which tells me Lisa was being followed."

"Can I just say, we are not working with a master spy here." Erin snapped. "Jack Colville is dead. Ros saw him blow his own brains out. You can't get a better eyewitness than that."

"True." Calum stated. "The boss knows her stuff. But she never met Lisa. We did, we worked with her. Wish I'd kept in touch when we jumped ship."

"I know." Erin sat down on the bed watching Calum look around the room. She knew she should be helping him search but she didn't have the heart to go through her old friend's belongings. Calum picked up an abandoned book and frowned.

"Er, the police didn't find this." He picked out a page that was hanging loose in the book. "Ruth can work out what this means."

"A book?"

"No a phrase highlighted here. Since when did Lisa have a copy of the Ovid? She had enough trouble reading the papers never mind a classic piece of literature. I mean have you found any other book in the flat? Magazines, papers yeah but no actual novels."

"We need to get that to Ruth." Erin stood up, feeling more determined to find the killer than ever.

###############

"Ruth, the Home Secretary is on line one." Tariq stated as Ruth closed her eyes.

"And? Do I look like the Section Head."

"What do I tell him?"

"Harry is unavailable at the moment." Ruth stared at the abandoned office, her eyes full of worry. "We don't have a time for when he'll be back."

"Right." Tariq relayed the message before pulling a face and moving away from the phone as if it was going to electrocute him. Malcolm looked up from his work and smiled slightly.

"They're alive."

"What?" Ruth was at his side in seconds. "What?"

"Harry is seen here, helping Ros out of the car." Malcolm pointed to the grainy CCTV footage. "Ros looks injured but she is able to get out of the 4x4 with minimal assistance."

"Thank God." Ruth ran a hand through her hair as Malcolm smiled. He tapped her arm and watched as she turned towards the Pods.

"I wouldn't thank Him." Harry held her gaze. "The inventer of the Airbag may have had more to do with it."

Ruth smiled slightly and shook her head as he headed towards them. For a moment Malcolm felt slightly surplus to requirements. Tariq frowned as he watched what was essentially a silent exchange.

"Er?" Tariq was silenced by a glance from Dimitri.

"I just saw Ros with Lucas." Dimitri stated, so I'm guessing panic over."

"For now." Harry answered, trying to hide how much he ached. Every muscle in his back and neck protested at the movement. Ruth noticed immediately.

"Harry." She said his name, clearly on the verge of tears. Memories of every other time they had come close to losing each other came to mind. It was almost too much.

"My office." Harry marched ahead of her as she closed her eyes. Seconds later she followed him.

#############

"I've been looking for you." Lucas held Ros' gaze as he spoke.

"Well, now you've found me."

"I'll." Harry nodded towards the Grid before leaving the couple alone in the corridor. Lucas nodded but kept his eyes on her. Smiling to himself Harry left them alone.

"You're hurt?" Luca observed the way she held one arm across her abdomen. The blood had congealed to leave her top sticking to her wounded shoulder.

"Just a graze."

"Ros, you could have been killed."

"Well, I'm still here." She held his gaze. "Lucas."

"I was worried."

"No need."

"The police said there were blood stains in the car. That it looked like you'd been shot at."

"We were." Ros nodded as Lucas stepped closer to her. She held his gaze as he pulled her shirt away from her skin.

"A vest. You were wearing a vest. To see the Home Secretary?"

"The track record I have with them I thought it would be wise." She watched as he fought to keep the smile off his face.

"You do have a way of bringing out the worst in them."

"It's a talent." She reached up and ran a hand over the five o clock shadow that was forming there.

"Someone seriously wants me and Harry dead."

"Yeah." Lucas closed his eyes, terrified that she was right. "But what can we do about it?"

"Harry's office now. I have an idea."

###############

"This is absurd. Harry?" Ruth paced the office carpet. "You played dead before and it didn't work. Whoever is behind this has been trained by Jack Colville."

"I know." Harry looked her straight in the eye. "And if me playing dead keeps you and the kids safe."

"It doesn't work like that." Ruth snapped. Memories of leaving Harry on the cold winter morning so many years ago came back to her. Then the image of George being shot execution style hit her. She blinked, determined not to cry as Ros and Lucas returned to the Grid.

"This girl." Harry asked. "Kat Vladir. Have you found anything on her?"

"She's in the UK, entered via Heathrow two days before Lisa was murdered. False passport, Tariq pulled her picture from CCTV." Ruth sighed as Harry laced his fingers through hers. "I'm working on finding out anything else."

"Good." Harry sighed as Ros walked in.

"I have an idea."

"Glad someoen does." Ruth got to her feet, abandoning the old red sofa in the corner. "Because right now this girl is killing officers with impunity."

"Go on." Harry stated as Lucas loitered in the doorway.

"We know who this girl is." Ros stated. "I say we talk to her. Make her think one of us has turned." Harry frowned as Ros spoke. Lucas watched the cogs turn in Ruth's head.

"Who?" Ruth bit her lip.

"Me." Beth smiled. "I was in the Balkans around the same time, I know what it was like then."

"So?" Lucas watched the new girl.

"So, Malcolm can create a legend for me. You know it'll be so good even my mother would have believed it. I can do this. You know I can."

"Ok." Harry nodded. "You're not mentioned in the book. Find her and create a meeting but you aren't going on your own." Beth smiled, knowing that there was a very good chance she was going to be able to stop things before they got any worse.

######

A/N Is anyone reading this? I'm not sure if it is any good. PLease review.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer not mine

The Meet

"Beth Bailey." Harry smiled as he watched the young blonde cross the Grid to where Dimitri and Alec were talking. Malcolm was already working on her legend and Harry had no doubt it would be foolproof.

"She's tougher than she looks." Ruth sighed as she followed his gaze. "Kat Vladir has been in the UK for a week, suggesting that she knows where you and Ros are."

"She isn't going in there alone. I'll send Alec with her, Dimitri is too emotionally involved."

"Harry." Ruth turned to face him. "She can do this. She has been undercover since her injury, she was fine."

"Ros was with her." Harry stated. "And from what I read it was Ros that kept her away from danger. I can't send Ros in this time but Alec knows what he is doing."

"He's also been around since Colville's day. I know he isn't mentioned in the book but Kat may recognise him."

"Alec had just started working for Internal Affairs when Jack went rouge. He would never have met Colville. It's rare that interdepartment boundaries are crossed now it almost never happened in the late 1990s and 2000."

"Ok." Ruth watched as Harry ran a hand over his face. He looked exhausted. She was instantly worried, Harry would never complain off feeling tired or being unwell but Ruth knew him well enough to see the signs. "I'll let Tariq track her, see where Beth and Alec can engineer a meet. Rest, and leave the scotch alone." Harry raised an eyebrow as she left the office before glancing at his decanter of scotch and shaking his head.

######################

"She's been undercover before." Lucas stood in the doorway of the shower room watching Ros in the mirror. Her white shirt was caked in drying blood with smears still on her skin. She unbuttoned the shirt, aware he was watching her in the mirror.

"I know, I was there."

"And before the injury. Before Andrew Lawrence attacked her she was brilliant undercover."

"I know." Ros pealed the blood soaked shirt from her skin and winced. Lucas was behind her in seconds. "She was a bloody good field officer before she joined us. It's how she survived so long in the private sector. She'll be fine. It's not her I'm worried about."

"Alec?"

"He's not been in the field for years. I know he's a cunning and manipulative old fool but he hasn't been in the field since Vaughn." Lucas closed his eyes as he remembered how Alec had saved his life when Vaughn had threatened everything.

"He'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about."

"Me?" Ros met his eyes in the mirror. Lucas nodded once.

"That wound looks nasty."

"The bullet didn't go in. It just grazed my shoulder. Not as bad as when Tom shot Harry."

"Ros." Lucas pulled the bloodied garment away from her shoulder and studied the wound. Ros closed her eyes as the pain shot through her. Seconds later she felt a sharp pain as Lucas washed the dried blood away from her shoulder. His eyes met hers as the cool water hit her skin. "You could have been killed."

"Don't tell Harry that, he was driving."

"I'm serious."

"I know." Ros closed her eyes as she felt his breath on her face. "I'm not going to get myself killed. I know it seems like I am at times but I intend to be around to see the children grow up."

"Good." Lucas kissed her gently as his hands stilled on her injured shoulder. He pulled back slightly and continued cleaning the dried blood away from the wound. Seconds later a clean dressing was placed over the damaged skin. "I've spoken to Harry about us having some annual leave."

"Now? How can we ?"

"Before you say another word Harry agreed we get two weeks off from when this case is finished. That is hopefully going to be before Amy starts nursery. I thought we could go away somewhere, just us and the kids."

"It's a nice idea." Ros picked up the clean shirt Lucas had brought in with him and slipped it over her head. Lucas could see she was trying to avoid showing him how much pain she was in as the thin garment slipped over her head.

"We can do this, Ros. Just us. One week."

Ros smiled slightly, remembering the honeymoon in West Wales that had been cut short. She hadn't had a proper break since James had been born.

"Ok." She smiled slightly as she met his eyes. "One week. "

"First we stop this nightmare." Lucas watched as Ros ran a finger over the tattoo visible in the open neck of his shirt.

"Sounds like a plan." She stepped away before heading out of the shower rooms towards the Grid.

######################

"Beth, this is your legend." Malcolm handed her a thin A4 folder. "Learn it, inwardly digest it and then remember it."

"I know." Beth smiled as she flipped the cover open, aware both Erin and Dimitri were watching her. "Ok, so my name is Lizzy Scott. I am 31 years old and a widow. My husband worked with MI-6 and I blame them for his death."

"You need to be able to sympathise with Kat." Alec stated. Beth nodded.

"Good job I did G.C.S.E. Drama at school then." Beth smiled slightly. Harry rolled his eyes.

"You believe that an anti-terrorist officer messed up resulting in your husband's death. This way you have something in common with Colville."

"Don't, the thought makes my skin crawl." Beth stared at the paper.

"When is the meet?" Dimitri asked.

"I've gone through all the CCTV footage of this woman since she landed at Heathrow. Now we have a name for her it has been easy to locate her. She isn't adverse to hiding in plain sight."

"Jack taught her well." Adam interjected as he leant against Erin's desk. Erin frowned slightly before pushing her chair away from the desk.

"Anything in that book we found at Lisa's?" Calum watched as Ruth sighed heavily.

"It is a copy of the Ovid. An old edition, but you knew that anyway. Published in 1970. I think that may be significant but I'm running the phrase you found that Lisa had highlighted through the system, see if any word patterns or patterns of writing match anything we've dealt with before. So far nothing has come up. I'm also running it through databases including the police, FBI and CIA. If anything corresponding comes up we should know in the next few minutes."

"You've hacked into two American databases?" Tariq was clearly impressed. Ruth blushed slightly. "Is that legal?"

"Technically?" Zaf laughed. "No."

"I told you before I do not hack. I've just utilised their resources for our benefit." Ruth tried to keep a straight face as she saw Harry raise an eyebrow. Zaf burst out laughing while Adam and Zoe shook their heads.

"The meet?" Dimitri tried to bring the team back on track, for which Harry was grateful.

"I've noticed a pattern in her behaviour, from tracking her on the CCTV." Malcolm stated. "She attends the same coffee shop on Oxford Street every morning between 8 am and 8:30. Clearly she thinks she will be lost in the crowd of commuters."

"She's not getting lost tomorrow." Ros stated. "Zaf, head up a team. Follow her. Beth, you being in the coffee shop is too obvious. Too contrived, she'd be on to us in seconds."

"What about a helpless jogger that runs into trouble in front of her?" Lucas asked.

"You expect me to run?" Beth raised an eyebrow. "And pretend I am enjoying it!"

"You have GCSE Drama." Calum laughed.

"Yeah, but I never said what grade I got. I'm good but I'm not that good." Beth watched as Dimitri smiled at her. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day tomorrow.

#####################

A/N Please review. More soon.


	8. Chapter 8

**disclaimer not mine**

**Jog on**

Beth tied her trainers and looked around the Embankment. The rain had given way to drizzle but the cold still bit into her skin. The commuters, travellers and tourists carried on around her as the earpiece in her left ear sprang into life.

"Delta One. State your position."

"Malcolm. I left ten minutes ago."

"Call signs please." Malcolm huffed as Harry covered his smile with one hand. He knew Malcolm had spent hours putting Beth's legend together and didn't want to seem ungrateful. Ruth shook her head and continued to stare at her own computer screen.

"Outside Thames House." Beth replied, sounding slightly like a sulky teenager.

"Ok, I have eyeball." Zoe announced as she picked up her coffee. The news kiosk provided the perfect vantage point. She smiled at the young man behind her in the que as Adam took up the young woman's trail.

"Headed west." Adam mumbled as he jogged down the stone steps a few feet behind the target. Beth sighed, knowing it wouldn't be long before she had to 'bump' into the target. She fingered the small device in her pocket, hoping that she could get it on the target without being seen.

"Adam." Lucas stated calmly. "Can you see her?"

"CALLSIGNS PLEASE!" Malcolm uncharacteristically snapped. Tariq and Calum raised an eyebrow at each other.

"Malcolm" Harry narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry Harry, but what is the point of having a protocol if no one bar myself, Ros and Ruth stick to it?"

"Alpha One?" Harry spoke into the comms. "Location?"

"Oxford Street." Ros answered quietly. Erin sat opposite her in the café waiting for Beth to jog past. Dimitri sat in a white van with Alec, to all intents and purposes looking like a pair of workmen having a break. Zaf touched his earpiece as he approached the point where he would meet Adam.

"Heading your way." Zaf stated. "Alpha 3? Alpha 2?"

"Got her." Lucas stated calmly before handing a copy of the Big Issue to the old lady in front of him. He knew Ros and Erin were watching him. Seconds later he disappeared around the corner, handed the real Big Issue seller the takings along with a £50 note and headed back into the street.

"Yeah, Beth?" Adam stopped and stepped into a shop doorway, eager not to be noticed. "She's all yours."

"Great." Beth groaned. "Thank you so much." She began jogging the length of Oxford Street, seemingly oblivious to anything other than her Ipod. Seconds later she was crashing into the slim woman. Kat screeched as expensive coffee flew through the air and Beth all but body slammed her into the window of the shop adjoining the coffee shop.

"What the Hell are you doing?"Kat snapped. Her Easten European accent jarring against Beth's ears.

"Me?" Beth tried to get to her feet but failed dramatically. "You should look where you're going. I've got a marathon to train for and now this!" She winced as she tried to put weight on her 'injured' ankle. "Ow!"

"Are you hurt?"

"No." Beth snapped sarcastically. "I usually jump around on one foot."

"Can I help?" Beth looked at her wide-eyes. It was the last thing she had expected from the woman who had already murdered three officers and was determined to kill two people she considered friends. "Are you hurt?"

"I should be asking you that." Beth sighed. "That coffee could have scolded you."

"No. I am fine." She stated calmly, as if any potential burns meant nothing to her. Beth looked over her shoulder as she saw Dimitri and Alec approach. "You may need to see someone about that ankle. "

"Oh she will." Alec stated calmly. "And so will you." He rested one hand on her shoudler sas Beth put her full weight on her ankle. Kat glared at her as Dimitri's blood ran cold.

"I'm being lifted." She glared at Beth.

"Yeah."

"It is a busy London street. I could scream."

"I really advise against that. Unless you'd like the police here aswell." Dimitri stated as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then you could explain how and why you killed three innocent people."

"I haven't killed any innocents." Kat snapped but thought better of struggling.

"I have friends who would have a different opinion." Beth stated calmly. "Now we have enough evidence to hold you under the 2008 Anti-Terrorism Act, so I suggest we avoid making any more of a scene."

"Bloody Spooks." She muttered as Dimitri led her back to the van.

############################

Ruth breathed a sigh of relief as she realised Kat Vladir was on her way to Thames House. The woman had caused enough grief and she knew Harry and the others were keen to find out why. She ran her hand through her hair as Tariq placed a mug of tea on her desk.

"You ok?"

"Yeah." Ruth smiled. "You?"

"Fine. I've eaten and had my insulin, before you ask." Ruth smiled. She knew her and Tariq had the same conversation regarding his diabetes since the day he had forgotten his injection two years earlier and become ill. Ruth would never let him forget again.

"Good boy." She watched as he rolled his eyes. "Beth and the lads are bringing her in."

"What about the others?" Tariq asked as Harry and Malcolm emerged from Harry's office.

"Adam and Zaf are heading to Kat's address." Harry explained. "Ros and Lucas are meeting a former assest of Colville's."

"Should be interesting." Calum stated as he headed towards his desk. "Does this asset have a name? I'll do some digging."

"Claire Morris." Malcolm stated calmly. "Ros called it in before they left. As far as I am aware the others are headed back here."

"Who?" Ruth turned and faced her old friend. "Who did you say his asset was?"

"Claire Morris." Harry frowned as Ruth's brain went into overdrive. She turned away from them and started tapping furiously on her keyboard. The men crowded around her computer as Ruth swore under her breath.

"Good Lord." Malcolm shook his head.

"Claire Morris, aged 45. Formally of the Syrian Office. Married to a former Syrian informer. Morris is her maiden name. She had a fling with Jack Colville in the late Spring of 2001. When her husband was killed."

"How did he die?" Tariq asked.

"Shot in the head, execution style in Damascus. Just around the time Adam was stationed there."

"Doesn't mean anything." Calum frowned. "Does it?"

"Adam met his first wife in Syria. Fiona was living in Damascus. Her ex-husband was believed to have'died' over there but came out of hiding to kill Fiona." Ruth explained. "It was a nightmare, Wes wasn't much more than a baby."

"And you think Claire was tied to that?"

"Probably not." Ruth sighed. "But she knew Colville and Kat knew him."

"And I do not like co-incidences." Harry stated. "Tariq? Someone must be financing this."

"I'll follow the money." Tariq beamed.

"Ruth?"

"I'll see what I can find out about her." He nodded his gratitute as Ruth spoke. "Harry?" He turned as he heard his name.

"Shouldn't someone warn Adam?"

"I will." Harry stated calmly. "I get the feeling that blasted book was just a cover to throw us off the scent."

"She can't be working alone." Malcolm stated. "The sophitication of the operation shows that."

"True." Harry nodded. "This Claire woman needs to be found, before anyone else gets killed."

###########################

The early Spring sunshine gaze way to rain as Lucas walked along the alleyway with Ros at his side. Both stayed silent as the rain soaked through them.

"Are you sure she's going to turn up?"

"She contacted me." Ros stated. "So, no but she must want something."

Lucas looked behind him and frowned. The dank and smelly alleyway seemed more onimous, more shadowed than it had minutes earlier. A sudden movement behind him had his senses on alert. Ros had seen the same thing as her husband.

"Bloody Hell." She muttered as Lucas touched her arm, already ushering her away. His footsteps rapidly increasing in speed as he encouraged her to move. "It can't be."

"Run."

########################

A/N What will Adam and Zaf find? Will Adam have to go back to Syria? Is Kat going to talk? Can Harry and Ruth get to the bottom of what's really going on and can Ros and Lucas get back to the Grid in one piece?


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer not mine. Not sure if anyone is still reading my Spooks stories. A review would be great.**

**Silence**

Beth sat opposite the thin woman as Alec scraped his chair across the floor. Kat Vladir remained silent. She had no intention of talking to either Beth or Alec.

"You have been a busy girl." Alec stated as Kat narrowed her eyes. "Come on Kat. Or shall I call you Katerina?"

"Don't patronise her." Beth stated, clearly going for the 'good cop' role in the equation. "She's a dangerous woman."

"Oh yeah, we are expected to believe a 5ft 2 inch woman who weighs, what? 7 stone soaking wet has killed three officers of MI-6 and MI-5. I forgot that for a minute. You single-handedly killed two women and a bloke who were all twice your size. I don't think so somehow."

"The police should be questioning me. Not you." Kat snapped.

"Yeah. And they will." Beth nodded. "But you killed one of our own. We don't take kindly to that."

"If that is the case why is a junior field officer and a drunken has-been interviewing me? Why is it not Harry Pearce and Rosalind Myers here?"

"Because we don't always get what we want." Beth got to her feet. "This is a waste of time."

"Yeah, Jack Colville was the best at what he did. You love, not even close." He followed Beth out oft he interview room leaving the younger woman to silently seethe.

###################

"This is nuts." Calum turned to face the others as Ruth rested her head on one hand. She was exhausted and knew that Adam was about to explode any second. Calum's outburst wasn't helping.

"What is nuts, as you put it is the waste of a perfectly good legend. I spent a great deal of time on Beth's cover story only for you to blow it the moment she made contact with the target." Malcolm stated. "I really do not know why I bother."

"Because you are the best." Beth smiled at him. "Look, maybe I can use the legend after all. I mean Kat isn't working on her own. She can't be."

"True, and we now know this woman Claire is linked to Jack." Adam began pacing the room. Harry watched from the doorway. He knew Adam hated anything that could involve Syria or the Middle East. The death of Fiona had almost finished him, he hoped sending the Senior Case Officer abroad yet again wouldn't complete the job.

"We need to talk to Ros." Ruth sighed. "She may know this woman. If this Claire happened to be in Serbia at the same time as her and Jack they may have crossed paths."

"Ros was in Serbia and Montenegro at the same time I was in Syria. Hardly likely." Adam snapped. Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"But possible." Zaf watched his friend. "Airplanes mate. They existed back then. Email, not so much but commuting was beginning to happen."

Ruth smiled slightly as Zaf defended her. It seemed to be something her best friend seemed unable to stop himself from doing. "As I said, we need to talk to Ros."

"Talking of Ros." Zoe asked. "Has anyone spoken to her or Lucas recently?"

"Find them." Harry stated calmly as he looked out over the Grid. "Get them back here."

##########################

Lucas glanced back over his shoulder as the figure seemed to gain on them. Rain splattered the dirty ground, forcing puddles to cover the uneven ground. Ros swore as she realised the man pursuing them didn't have a gun. The flash of metal she had spotted moments earlier appeared again.

"Knife." She nodded as Lucas understood what she meant. He regretted not signing out his firearm that morning and knew Ros had left hers behind also. Ros paused as the man walked slowly towards them. She was determined not to run. It wasn't in her DNA to run away from trouble. Lucas stepped forward trying to put himself between Ros and the man who was stalking them.

"All Vladir's victims were killed by a single stab wound. Apart from Lisa." Lucas glared.

"Her throat was cut." Ros narrowed her eyes as memories of finding Ben Kaplin's body returned to her. The look of absolute desolation on Jo's face would never leave her. For Jo it had been one loss too many. "Let's see what this joker thinks he's playing at." She walked towards the man as gunfire filled the air.

"Ros!" Lucas looked behind him. With one gunman taking shots at them and a man wielding a knife a few feet ahead he could see their options were limited. Ros didn't even flinch when the second round of gunfire filled the air, her focus on the man in front of her never wavered. Lucas fought the urge to grab her and drag her away from the danger. His hands curled into fists as the man wielding the knife came into view. He smirked as he looked at them, ignoring Lucas for a moment he held Ros' gaze.

"Hello Ros."

"I thought you were dead."

"Thought or hoped?"

"Same thing." Ros felt her knees buckle as the taser burnt into her skin. Somewhere in the background she heard Lucas calling her name but the darkness had encroached on her thoughts before she fell to the floor.

#############################

A/N More soon. Please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Lost**

"They weren't wearing tracers." Tariq stated as Harry closed his eyes. He knew his Section Chief and Senior Case Officer weren't exactly adverse to going off and doing their own thing. "I ask everyone to use from the minute they leave the Grid."

"I know." Harry nodded. "This is not your fault, Tariq. If they dumped their tracers then it is their choice. Can you look for them on CCTV?"

"Malcolm is on it." Tariq glanced across at his friend. Malcolm frowned at the computer screen as Tariq spoke. He felt uneasy about Ros meeting her contact and had only been slightly placated by Lucas going with her. Now he knew why. Malcolm nodded.

"Adam."

Adam looked up as Harry indicated for him to follow him into his office.

"What's that about?" Erin asked as Ruth looked up from her screen.

"With Ros missing, Adam is second in command. He used to be Section Chief before Ros."

"How come he was demoted?" Erin watched Adam and Harry through the window while Ruth followed her eye line.

"Long story. Adam went dark when I was away. Came back to London about a year after I did. Ros has been Section Chief since then."

"Adam went dark?"

"Long story." Ruth sighed. "Very long story."

"Right." Erin frowned slightly. "Another part of Section D's history I missed."

"You'll find out soon enough." Ruth glanced up at her.

"Yeah." She sighed. "Don't really like the look of what's happening through there." Erin nodded towards the office where Adam was becoming more and more animated.

"No, neither do I."

"He's your husband." Erin tilted her head to Ruth.

"Yes, and I know when to leave things be." Ruth returned to her computer, leaving Erin in no doubt she was not taking the conversation any further.

###############################

"Harry." Adam stared at his old friend in disbelief. "You know what happened the last time I went there."

"If there was any other way."

"There has to be. Fiona died because of that place."

"No, Fiona died because of a revenge fuelled psycho-path." Harry corrected.

"Yeah, and why did he want revenge? Because of what I did. If she was never in Syria then we'd have never met."

"Adam, is that what you wished? That you and Fiona had never met? Pull yourself together man. Carrie is not about to get killed by a jealous ex-husband. History is not repeating itself."

"This woman Vladir was working with." Adam took a deep breath. "If she knows Ros is in this country then the chances are she is involved in her abduction. Let me talk to Vladir, see what I can find out."

"The priority has to be finding Lucas and Ros." Harry stated. "I want you to act up as Section Chief until we know what has happened to Ros."

"Ok." Adam narrowed his eyes.

"And if we need to send someone to Syria, I'm sorry Adam but you are the obvious choice."

"Yeah, doesn't mean I'm happy about it."

"Find Ros and Lucas." Harry stated as Adam nodded grimly. He ran a hand through his short blonde hair wondering how he was going to find one of the best officers on the team. He stepped out of the office to see Ruth, Erin and Calum around Malcolm's computer while Tariq yelled co-ordinates to Zaf and Dimitri who were already preparing to leave.

"Right!" Adam yelled. "This is going to be a long one. We don't go home until Ros and Lucas are back here. Those of you who need to arrange childcare do so now. Make sure you all eat and drink enough to keep going, especially you, Tariq. None of us are any good to Ros and Lucas if we're dropping our blood-sugars all over the place."

"Yes Boss." Zaf smirked. Zoe raised her eyebrows.

"Malcolm, what have you got?" Harry asked.

"It would seem the last sighting of Lucas and Ros is in Peckham."

"We have three safe houses in that area." Zoe frowned. "Vladir may know that."

"She may." Harry agreed. "Adam, Dimitri, Beth and Alec get down there. See what's left." The four officers rushed to get themselves out the door. "Zaf, you and Zoe head to the Katerina Vladir's last known address. Tear the place apart if necessary."

"Yes, Harry." Zoe grabbed her denim jacket before being ushered through the Pods by Zaf. Erin narrowed her eyes, waiting to find out what her set of orders would be. Ruth glanced up, aware that the money Tariq was chasing wasn't leading them very far.

"Harry, when he died Jack Colville was a wealthy man. He must have left the money to someone. He wasn't the kind of man to die intestate."

"True." Harry nodded.

"I can dig around his finances. See who any benefactors are."

"Bet one is downstairs." Calum pulled a face.

"Maybe." Harry nodded. "Erin, how about we have a little chat with the mysterious Kat Vladir?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Erin smiled slyly. For a moment Harry could see the brunette would seriously challenge Ros in the Ice Queen stakes if she had to.

#######################################

Beth opened the door of the opps van and looked around. Dimitri stayed in the driver's seat for a moment, aware that anything could happen in what looked like a quiet suburban street.

"I don't like this." Alec stated calmly, joining Beth on the side of the road.

"You don't like anything." Beth stated calmly.

"Will you give it a rest?" Adam snapped. He was worried about his friends and didn't want to be distracted by Alec and Beth with their petty squabbling. Beth narrowed her eyes but stayed silent. Alec smirked while Dimitri got out of the van.

"Ros wouldn't meet anyone out in the open. Not like this." He leant against the van. Adam nodded.

"No, too open. Too many vantage points for things to go wrong." He looked around. "There." Ne nodded to an alleyway off the main road. "That may be something."

"Come on then." Alec marched ahead, unsure he wanted to be the one to find the dead bodies of his colleagues. He knew it was a distinct possibility. Beth and the others followed suit.

"Oh God." Beth broke out into a run. "Oh please, no."

######################################

"Harry Pearce." Ruth listened into the interview, hoping the interview went well. They needed to know why Kat was so intent on killing officers Colville had written about. The woman seemed to be smirking as she said Harry's name. Ruth closed her eyes, knowing the woman had met her match.

"That's correct." Harry stated as he sat down. "This is Senior Case Officer Erin Watts."

"I read about you." She narrowed her eyes as she spoke to Erin.

"I'm not in Jack's book." Erin smiled sweetly.

"I read about your type."

"The type that risks their lives to safeguard the people of this country." Harry stated. "Those who try to save people's lives and not take them."

"You are all murderers." She snapped.

"Why do you say that?" Erin leant forward.

"You kill people."

"Who?"

"You killed my Jack." Kat snarled. Harry rested his elbows on the table in front of them. He knew the woman opposite him had been corrupted by Jack, what he didn't know was if that brainwashing had been enough to turn what looked like a thin, unkempt girl into a killer.

"Jack pulled the trigger." Erin stated. "He killed himself."

"NO! NO! He did it because you made him! YOU made him!" Kat got to her feet, throwing the chair backwards. Ruth sat silently in another room listening intently. She knew both Erin and Harry could hear her.

"She's emotionally involved. That could make her dangerous." Ruth spoke calmly, aware that Harry had probably already worked that one out.

"You were in love with him?" Erin stated calmly. "You were in love with Jack? Wasn't he a little old for you?"

"You know nothing. You disgust me." Kat glared at them.

"Do you know what disgusts me?" Harry asked calmly. "People coming into my country with the sole purpose of killing excellent officers, innocent people because of one man's false claims. That book was nothing but pure fiction. He even admitted it himself. He wanted to trap Ros, when that failed he killed himself. He is using people even now. You and this woman Clare are still doing exactly what he wants." Harry shook his head. "I know he was in love with your mother. She died. It was not her fault, nor yours but his. He lead her into that trap."

"Harry, tread carefully." Ruth bit her bottom lip. "She's going to explode."

"You know he did. How old were you when your mum died? A young girl I bet."

"You know nothing."

"I know what it is like to lose someone you love." Harry spoke calmly. "I know how much it hurts."

"You know nothing."

"I know what it's like to blame the world." Harry continued. "To hate the world as much as you loved the person you lost."

Tears filled the young woman's eyes. For a moment Harry felt sorry for her, she had been dragged into a world she knew nothing about at such a young age. He glanced towards Erin who was studying Kat like a cat studies a mouse just before it moves in for the kill. Then Harry remembered the three dead officers and the missing officers from his own team. Kat shook her head, black hair falling into her face.

"Who's Claire?" Erin asked calmly. "And why are you doing her dirty work?"

################

Tariq ran into the listening room opposite where Erin and Harry were conducting the interview. "Ruth? Ruth!"

"What?" She turned sharply as Tariq entered the room. "What is it?"

"Dimitri just called in. He's requested medical back up."

"Why?" Ruth could feel her heart speed up dangerously.

"They found Lucas."

###############################

Beth reached Lucas' side, falling to her knees just as she reached him. The prone body of her friend was half hidden behind a large industrial sized dust-bin. She felt sick as she heard Dimitri call in for back up.

"Lucas?" She touched his shoulder as the body in front of her remained still. "You do not do this. You do not do this to Amy and James." Beth snapped as she thought of the bright little girl and bubbly toddler.

"Ok, come on." Alec turned his friend so that he was laying on his back in the dust. He placed two fingers on Lucas' neck and nodded. "He's got a pulse."

"Thank God." Adam stared along the lane, looking for any sign of Ros. A small metal stud lay a few feet away from him. Adam knelt and picked it up. "I think I found out what happened to her tracer. She's been tasered. It's burned out."

"And Lucas has been hit with something." Beth touched the dark haired officer's hair line.

"Which confirms Ros is the target." Adam stated as Alec continued to carry out first-aid, instructing Beth to help him as he went. Lucas groaned and opened his eyes.

"Morning." Alec deadpanned.

"Ros."

"We'll find her, mate." Adam stated. "We'll find her."

########################

A/N Long chapter to make up for being so useless with my updates. Hope you enjoy, please review. Reviews really do make the writing better (and faster!)


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer. Not mine. Thanks to Chicachic for posting a link to this on Facebook's 3 words 8 letters. Love the new picture btw! Ok, on with the story.**

**Without You**

Lucas closed his eyes and tried to fight the wave of nausea that washed over him. He was breathing heavily but every breath felt as if he had a hot poker pushed between his ribs.

"Lucas." Beth frowned as she stared at him. "What happened?"

"Where's Ros? They wanted Ros?"

"We don't know." Adam stated calmly. "Lucas? What do you remember?"

"Gunshots." Lucas opened his eyes. "Someone was shooting at us."

"Lucas, you have an edict memory." Alec frowned. "You have to be able to remember something."

"Alec." Beth hissed as Lucas slumped against the bin. He was clearly in pain but more worried about his wife than he was about himself. "Lucas, take a deep breath. Take your time."

"We were supposed to meet Ros' asset." Lucas breathed. His breaths became more laboured as Dimitri kneeled next to him.

"Don't say another word. Ok? Just concentrate on your breathing. We will find Ros. Ruth will have this place analysed to within an inch of it's life. Malcolm will have CCTV footage to look at. We will find her." Dimitri glanced up at Alec as the older spook narrowed his eyes. It was clear whoever had taken Ros had subjected Lucas to a beating bad enough to break a few ribs at least.

"I don't like his breathing." Dimitri watched as Alec nodded. "I've seen this before, when I was on the subs. Pneumothoax. A collapsed lung. He needs to be in hospital."

"Paramedics are on the way." Adam stated. He knew his friends were right but he couldn't help but wonder who would be able to overpower Lucas and take Ros without anyone on the street a few feet away from the alley hearing anything. The sound of sirens in the background reassured him slightly, at least help for Lucas was on the way.

######################

"He didn't just die a rich man. He died a very very rich man." Calum stated as Tariq and Ruth walked back on to the Grid. Erin and Harry were talking with Stan and another security guard downstairs.

"Go on." Ruth stated as Tariq took his seat at his workstation.

"When he died he had a bank account and an ISA. Nothing illegal or unusual about that." Calum was clearly warming to his theme.

"Calum. Do you take this long to get to the point with Catherine?" Tariq teased. Ruth pulled a face.

"That is my step daughter, thank you."

"Sorry."

"Go on Calum." Ruth encouraged him.

"As I was saying. On the surface his accounts look perfectly legal and legitimate. It's when you look deeper that things start to emerge."

"Such as?" Malcolm watched the computer screen in front of him only half listening to his colleagues.

"He was a millionaire. And it would seem most of his money, that which didn't come from his retirement settlement from 6 came from drugs running in Serbia, Russia and the former Czechoslovakia."

"He was a dug lord? Really?" Tariq glanced at Ruth.

"No, but he dealt with the money side of things." Calum watched as Ruth stood and walked to his work station. She read the file over his shoulder.

"Good work. Only now we have to find out what all that means and how it connects to Kat and Clare."

"And most importantly, Ros." Malcolm frowned.

"Have you found anything?" Harry asked as the Pods whooshed open.

"Lucas is on the way to the hospital. Suspected head injury and collapsed lung." Tariq stated. "Adam called it in a few minutes after Dimitri called the ambulance."

"Ros?"

"No news." Ruth ran a hand through her wavy brown hair, her eyes bore into Harry's, the worry clear for all to see.

"Ruth, my office." He walked past the others as Erin joined the group. The new girl on the team looked around, suddenly angry at the whole situation.

"Who went to the hospital with Lucas?"

"Beth." Tariq stated. "Adam is still at the scene but Dimitri and Alec are trying to follow up Ros' informant. Apparently this asset has been reliable in the past. Zaf and Zoe should be at Kat's flat by now."

"Right." Erin took a deep breath. "It's about time we found our boss. Before Harry's blood pressure gets any higher."

#######################

"Good old lockpicks." Zaf smiled as he opened the door to the former council flat. "After you."

"Ah, such a gent." Zoe smiled at him as she gingerly looked into the flat. The place looked tidy but unloved. She slipped her gun from the back of her trousers and stepped further into the department.

"Housekeeper's day off." Zaf wrinkled his nose as the smell hit them.

"Seems so." Zoe swallowed hard. She knew that the flat had been used as a base for their suspect, what she didn't know was what Kat had left. Zaf walked through the flat briefly, looking for the source of the smell.

"Kitchen, bathroom, living room, one bedroom." He ticked them all off his list. "Not exactly a feminine flat. I mean if you lived here."

"It wouldn't be so untidy." Zoe stated before lifting an abandoned shirt off the floor. Zaf raised an eyebrow but he had to agree with his fiancé. Shaking his head he reached the bedroom. The single bed in the middle of the room was unmade, the wardrobe to it's right closed and locked. "Ok, so what's she hiding in there?"

"Let's see." Zaf pulled his lock pick out of his jeans and began to work.

"Oh my God." Zoe stepped backwards as the door to the old-fashioned wardrobe opened. Zaf frowned before kneeling to get a better look at the contents. Among the photographs of Harry and Ros, all taken from a telephoto lens lay the makings of what could have been the biggest bomb he had ever seen.

"Right." Zaf frowned. "I think we better call this in."

###################################

Ros ached everywhere, the burn on the back of her neck almost stealing her concentration. She swallowed hard, knowing that someone was in the room with her. She forced her thoughts away from Lucas and their children, knowing there was no way she could escape and find out what had happened if she let her mind wander to her family.

"Good morning." The distinctly female voice began. Ros began racking her brains as she tried to work out if she recognised the voice. "I spoke to you." Ros closed her eyes as she was thrown onto her back. She stayed silent, refusing to give the woman in front of her the satisfaction of hearing her voice.

"Ah, the Great Ice Queen routine." The stocky woman in front of her smirked. "Jack always told me about that."

Ros narrowed her eyes.

"And I suppose it's only fair to tell you." The woman sighed. "Your husband? The bloke with all the tattoos? Dead. He put up a fair fight but we left his body for your friends to find. It'll be a while longer before they find yours." Ros narrowed her eyes even more, her whole body aching but radiating tension. She knew the woman was lying. There was no way Lucas was dead. He wouldn't let them beat him. Somewhere out in London he was looking for her. She knew he was.

"I think I may have tasered you too much. Seems you have lost the power of speech." She got to her feet and crossed the room to Ros. Seconds later Ros was dragged to her feet by the larger woman. "Wonder if your kids will feel the same way Kat did when you killed her father. When you convinced him to pull the trigger." Ros felt her heart beat speed up at the thought of Amy and James being in danger. The rational part of her brain told her they were safe and with Carrie, but the irrational part wanted to kill anyone who even considered hurting her children.

"Jack was a criminal." Ros stated calmly. "A con man and a liar. Sadly for you, you fell for it the same as I did."

A slap almost knocked Ros from her feet.

"Truth hurts." Ros snapped before the woman punched her in the stomach. Seconds later she was alone in the room and more determined to get back to Lucas than ever.

#####################################

A/N Filler chapter. Will Adam and the others find Ros before it's too late? Can Ros get herself out of this one? Please review.

######################################


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Lost and Found?**

Beth pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket and headed out of the hospital's A&E department. She knew the others would be waiting to hear about Lucas' condition. She had no idea if Ros had been found but knew she had to talk to Ruth.

"Hi, it's me."

"How's Lucas?" Ruth closed her eyes as Beth explained how he had been wheeled away from her the moment they had reached the hospital. It seemed that he had been barely conscious when they had arrived.

"He looked awful, Ruth. Dimitri thinks he may have a puctured lung. I want the scum that did this. I really want to get my hands on them. What about James and Amy? They're only babies. What did they do to deserve this?"

"We haven't lost Ros and Lucas yet." Ruth stated firmly. "Lucas is a strong person. He can recover from this."

"Yeah. Well, the doctors just took him for an ITU."

"We will find Ros. You know that." Ruth hoped she sounded more optimistic than she really was.

"Do you want me back on the Grid?" Beth sighed heavily. Ruth smiled slightly on the other end of the line. The fiesty ex-private sector spook was really one of the team these days. It had taken her a while to settle in but it seemed she had managed it.

"No. You stay with Lucas. Let me know if there is any news."

"Ok." Beth ended the call just as a nurse called her name.

######################

The next time Ros opened her eyes she remembered where she was. The anger coursed through her veins as she listened to see if her attacker was still in the room. Deciding that she was alone Ros dragged herself into a sitting position.

"Jack." She mumbled. "You really knew how to pick them." She flexed her toes and fingers, relieved that she could still move. She groaned slightly as the pain in her shoulder threatened to resurface. She knew she had damaged her left arm in some way but she didn't have time to think about it. She had to focus on getting away from the dank, damp room she found herself in.

#########################

"Bomb Squad are on the way to Zoe and Zaf." Malcolm stated as Harry walked onto the main Grid.

"Good. Any news from Adam and the others?"

"Beth called." Ruth stated. "Lucas is not well." Her eyes avoided Harry's. She knew how much the younger man meant to Harry. How he still felt guilty about his imprisonment in Russia. "I told Beth to stay at the hospital."

"Ok." Harry nodded. "I want to know the moment there is any news. I've been called to Whitehall again."

"Harry." Ruth snapped. "We are in the middle of an active op. We have an officer missing and one in hospital."

"I am well aware of that." Harry replied, aware that Ruth was verging on losing her temper. "Unfortunately the Home Secretary believes he is more important."

"Bugger him." Ruth snapped.

Harry smiled slightly, aware that Ruth still had the same distrust of any politician as she had the first day she had stumbled onto the Grid and told him to 'bugger the Home Office.'

"I'll have my phone on. I wont be long. If I can keep Towers off our backs then things may run a little smoother. Get Zafar and Zoe back here. I want to know exactly what they found. Keep me updated on Lucas' conditon. Where's Erin?"

"Meeting Dimitri before going to see an asset." Calum explained.

"Good." Harry tried not show how worried he was but he knew Ruth would be able to tell. She was the one person he had never been able to hide from.

####################

Adam knelt down next to the bin Lucas had been propped up against. The gravel below his feet had been disturbed, two track like marks and a few spots of blood on the side of the bin brought him up cold.

"What is it?" Alec stared at him. "You found something?"

"Dunno." Adam stated as he stared at the dark red splodges on the side of the bin.

"Blood." Alec frowned. "This does not look good."

"Get forensics down here." Adam strightened up. "I want to know who that blood belongs to." He looked up to see a security camera staring at them. "And I want to know what that recorded."

"It's the off-licence."

"Right. I'll go. You stay here." Adam walked away from him to the end of the alley. Alec rolled his eyes, he knew why he was being kept away from the shop. He didn't like it.

"I'll just wait for the science bods then." He stated. Adam never looked back.

#############

"Shit." Ros mumbled under her breath. The room she was being held in was tiny, with no windows and very little in the way of furniture. So far she had found the light switch and a chair in the corner opposite where she had laid. The door seemed to blend into the walls. For a moment her pulse started racing, her breathing irratic as memories of Jo barging into the basement where the Bendorff group had been held came to mind. She struggled to control her emotions, wishing Lucas was with her. He seemed to be the only one who could get through to her when she was having a flash back. Now she was alone. Gingerly she began feeling around the walls, looking for the seem where the wall would meet the door. Smiling she forced her aching body to stand behind the door, knowing there would only be so much time until her captor returned. Then she would be ready. Then she was going home.

#########################

A/N Just a short chapter - real life hectic at the moment. Will update soon x please review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer Not mine :-(**

**Fightback**

Ruth placed the phone back on her desk and closed her eyes. It had been less than an hour since Harry had left for his meeting with Towers and she was already terrified. Tariq looked up to see her try to focus on her work.

"He's met Towers millions of times."

"I know." Ruth smiled slightly. "This feels different."

"How?"

"I know Harry."

"Eh?"

"I'm still working it out myself." Ruth sighed.

"Well, you're the analyst." Callum interrupted. Ruth narrowed her eyes slightly before returning to her work.

######

Ros was exhausted. Everything ached, her scars burning when she moved. The pain in her back kept her awake as she waited. The dark, damp room reminded her of the basement where Jo had died. Forcing the memory away from her she closed her eyes.

"Ros?"

Her eyes snapped open as she heard her name. The woman in front of her couldn't be there. Ros knew the rational part of her brain was telling her she was insane. Jo Portman was dead. Gone. Never to return. There was no way she was stood in front of her.

"Ros? You are not going to die here."

"How do you know?" Ros mentally shook herself for talking to an hallucination. "Jo."

"You are not mad and I am definitely dead." Jo smiled at her. "And while I'm ok with that it isn't your turn. Lucas and the kids need you."

"I know."

"You die now. You let that poisonous, treacherous bitch wind Amy and James grow up without you. Amy hates the world. Lucas can't deal with her and sinks even deeper into depression. James tries his best to hold his family together but spends most of his time with Gracie and Ruth. When Lucas commits suicide it's them that have to pick up the pieces. Of course Amy is in prison by then." Jo shrugged.

"No, not my Amy."

"Strong willed, questionable morals, lack of maternal guidance. " Jo raised an eyebrow. "With a stubborn streak that runs deeper than anything."

"Sounds like me."

"Exactly. Without Section D you'd be in prison." Jo stepped back. "Fight. If you don't care then fight for Amy, she doesn't deserve anything less."

"How do you know that'd happen?"

"I'm dead. I know things. For once don't question me." Ros raised an eyebrow. Jo smiled slightly before disappearing into the ether. Ros closed her eyes and listened to the footsteps getting nearer and nearer. She tensed, forcing all her attention on the person the other side of the door, forgetting the pain that had coursed through her body. It was now or never.

####################

Harry headed towards Whitehall wondering exactly what Towers was playing at. It wasn't unheard of for the grey haired politician to call him in during an active op but it didn't make it any less annoying. He glanced in the rear view mirror and frowned. He didn't recognise the black citron that was following him but the little French car seemed to have been on his tale since he had left Thames House. He turned the car in the wrong direction for Whitehall but the car seemed to be on to him. It didn't matter if he sped up or braked the car didn't leave him.

"Ok, fun and games it is then." Harry pushed his foot to the accelerator, knowing that he had to find out who was behind him.

#################

"Hi." Adam smiled at the young blonde behind the counter of the offlicence.

"Can I help?" She smiled back. Adam nodded.

"I hope so." He flashed his best charm smile. "I'm John."

"Sally." She smiled before pointing to her name badge and blushed furiously. Adam tried not to roll his eyes. The girl was younger than Tariq.

"Sally." He replied, "I'm from Special Branch and I need to see the CCTV on the back lane."

"Police?" Sally stepped back, shocked.

"Yeah. Police." Adam lied fluently. He produced an imitation ID badge, glad that Malcolm paid attention to detail. Sally nodded before lifting the partition in the counter.

"Ok, you better come through." Adam flashed his charm smile once more before following her through to the back room of the off-licence, hoping that he would find what he was looking for.

##############

"Any sign of bomb squad?" Zoe asked as she crossed the room to Zaf. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You know what they're like."

"Yeah, but I am not touching that lot." Zoe nodded towards the assortment of bomb making ingredients. "That is some serious stuff, not the usual chancer trying to blow the planet sky-high."

"These photos are plain creepy." Zaf gestered to the collection of long lens pictures. "There's Ros with James and Amy. Ros with Lucas. One of Harry with Adam and another with Harry and Ros. There's even one of Harry with little Charlie. It's weird."

"They've been stalked." Zoe shook her head as she looked through the photographs. "Someone was following them and they had no idea?"

"Not good considering what they do for a living." Zaf turned around to see the head of the bomb squad approach. "About time."

"Alright, Zaf, what we got?"

"This." He stepped back to show the officer the contents of the wardrobe. "Have fun."

"Fair play Zaf." The Welsh accent cutting through the air. "You know how to live on the edge. I ain't touching that. The robot can do it. Get out of 'ere the pair of you. Do not touch any light fittings or anything with metal on as you go."

"Cheers Mark."

"No worries. Now bugger off. You owe me a pint."

"I know." Zoe rolled her eyes, wondering just what Zaf had got Mark to do which resulted in the pint he owed him. Zaf ushered her out of the building, aware that they had to talk to Ros and Harry before it was too late.

######################

Ros tensed as the door to the room opened. She knew the woman that had hit her earlier was a thicker set woman than she was, but a good two inches shorter. The anger boiled in her stomach as the same brunette woman stepped into the room.

"What the?"

"Morning." Ros grabbed the woman's hair, wrenching her neck back until the woman was almost bent over backwards. Ros' face was next to her ear. "I'm so sorry to run out on you like this." Ros' voice was ice cold, barely containing the anger. Anyone who knew her would know it was not a time to argue with her.

"Argh." The woman tried to elbow Ros in the stomach but failed miserably.

"Now now." Ros hissed. "You had your turn earlier. Pissing me off, fatal mistake." Ros pushed the woman forward so that she landed on her knees, clearly winded. "Not fun, eh? The shoe on the other foot." She was out the door before the woman could get to her feet. A single gunshot ran out but Ros was already on her way home.

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A/N more soon. Please review


	14. Chapter 14

**disclaimer not mine. Only one review for the last chapter. Are people getting fed up of this story? I will finish it as I have an idea for a new story featuring Harry's past in and present day Grid.**

**Harry's Game**

Ruth walked from her desk to answer the phone ringing in Harry's office. She still couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right. She knew Beth was still at the hospital with Lucas but the rest of the team still had to call in their locations.

"Yes." She answered the phone, knowing she was breaking protocol but not caring in the slightest. An electronic voice read off Ros' call sign. "Ros? Oh my God. Where are you?"

"Ruth, where's Harry?" Ros sounded exhausted. Her voice strained with pain.

"Whitehall." Ros explained.

"There's nothing scheduled for today." Ros gasped as she looked around her, knowing a sniper's bullet could hit her at any second. The telephone box felt like a goldfish bowl. She needed to get back to Thames House before the short, stocky woman she had left when she escaped found her.

"Towers called. Where are you? Are you alright?" Ros closed her eyes as she listened to her friend. She knew Ruth would be trying to get Malcolm's attention as she spoke. She pictured the Grid as she tried not to focus on the pain burning through her shoulder or the fact that she still had no idea what had happened to Lucas.

"Of course I'm ok. I need to be picked up. I'm outside Harrods."

"Harrods?" Ruth bit her lip as she spoke.

"Yeah, can you get Lucas to pick me up?" The sweat poured down her face as the pain threatened to take hold.

"I'll have Zaf there in a few minutes." Ros closed her eyes. She had prayed that the woman had been lying when she told her Lucas was dead. She dreaded to think what had happened to him. "Ros? Are you still there?"

"Yeah." Ros gasped. "I've got to get moving."

##################

Harry took his foot off the accelerator, hoping that the driver in the little black car behind him would realise he had been spotted and drop back. Unfortunately the citeron driver either didn't care or had no idea he had been spotted. He narrowed his eyes as the small black car continued to advance. The quiet London street did nothing to distract the public from what was clearly happening. Swearing under his breath he pushed his foot on the accelerator and shot the red light at the end of the street, knowing that the citeron driver risked being picked up on the speed camera photograph if he did the same.

######################

"Alec." Adam jogged towards him. "Zaf just called. We've got a location for Ros."

"Great." Alec turned to face the younger man as the drizzle soaked the blood stained alleyway. "Who found her?"

"She did." Adam smiled slightly. "She got out, called Ruth. Zaf is on his way over there now. Just thinking about providing some back up."

"No." Alec frowned. "Let Zaf go. She's a tough one and if anyone has to tell her about Lucas it should be her friend." Alec walked back towards the car. "Come on, you can tell me what the girl in the off licence said."

"Who said it was a girl?" Adam laughed.

"Because I know you, Adam Carter." Alec shook his head.

"And I am Ros' friend."

"Yeah." Alec agreed. "But you are also her ex. Let Zaf tell her."

"How?"

"Ruth isn't the only one that can put in the research." Alec led him back towards the car wondering what Zaf would find.

#####################################

Zoe walked onto the Grid, slightly concerned that Ruth had called her back to Thames House. The Grid was in it's usual state of apparently organised chaos. Tariq sat hunched over his computer, Calum called out to Malcolm who was in deep conversation with Dimitri and Ruth.

"Guys." She headed towards the analyst and the junior officer. "You want to see this." She raised her hand to show the large brown envelope. "This has been planned for months."

"The police still have no leads on any of the murders." Calum stated as he walked up to them. "Been to get the holiday snaps, Zo."

"Not holiday ones." Zoe sighed. "But you will recognise the people in them."

"Right." Dimitri frowned. "Let's have a look."

"I'll call Harry back." Ruth stated calmly. "If they are what I think they are then he needs to know about this." She turned and walked back into the office while Dimitri and the others headed into the Briefing Room just as Alec and Adam walked into the Grid.

##########################

Zaf walked towards the famous department store knowing that Ros would have hidden herself somewhere near by. There was no way she would have stepped insid the shop. Her jeans and leather jacket would give her away as out of place in seconds.

"Don't say a word." Zaf smiled as he heard the familiar voice behind him. Slowly he turned to see her leaning heavily against an alleyway. She was pale and her blonde hair caked in sweat and blood. One arm lolled dangerously at her side.

"Ros."

"I've dislocated a shoulder. Coulddo with a hand to get it back in."

"A&E."

"No." Ros narrowed her eyes. "I spend too much bloody time there. Help me, Zaf." He nodded as he took hold of her injured arm.

"Dunno if this will work."

"Isn't it how you put your own arm back in it's socket after.."

"The redbacks. Yeah. But I still get trouble with it now." Zaf frowned. "If I could have got to a doctor I would have done."

"Well, just do it." Ros gritted her teeth as Zaf pulled her arm to her side, hearing the pop of the bone sliding back into place. Ros' knees buckled for just a second before Zaf caught her.

"Ok?"

"Yeah." Ros swallowed hard, shoving the pain into her gut. "Now, what happened to Lucas?"

"I."

"The bitch killed him." Ros looked away, determined to stop the tears that came to her eyes.

"No, he's injured." Zaf lead her back to the car. "Beth is with him at the hospital. He's under police guard too. These people seriously want you and Harry dead. It doesn't really bother them who gets in the way. Do you want me to take you to the hospital? To see him?" Ros shook her head.

"No, I need a shower and clean clothes first. And to see my kids."

"They're with Carrie." Zaf smiled. "They are both fine."

"Good." Ros smiled slightly. "But as you said, these people don't care who gets in their way."

########################

"This is seriously warped." Tariq looked at the photos. "Someone has to have been following them for weeks."

"So it seems." Malcolm frowned. "I'll take this one, see if it has been falsified in some way." He picked up the photograph with Ros and Towers walking side by side. Zoe nodded.

"It's creepy."

"It's more than that." Dimitri looked at the photos. "They can be the best at what they do."

"And they are." Ruth stated calmly.

"But all these are from a long lens." Dimitri stated. "Harry and Ros couldn't have known they were being photographed. We should be thankful they were photographed and not shot."

"Yeah." Adam nodded, glad that the others seemed to think this was as serious as he did. "I want to talk to Kat. I'm not falling for this little girl lost routine. She knows who took these. She knows where that Clare is."

"I'll come with you." Zoe stated. Adam nodded as a phone started ringing in the background. Ruth rolled her eyes before disappearing to answer it. The door to the Briefing Room opened to allow Ros and Zaf to walk in.

"No, I'll talk to her." Ros stated. "Let her sweat a bit longer. I think I know who this Clare woman is and where she was this morning at least."

"Ros." Adam took in her dishevelled appearance.

"I'm going to the hospital. Then I am going to talk to her." Ros held her injured arm gingerly as Ruth walked back in.

"Where's Harry?" Zaf turned to his friend as the colour drained from Ruth's face.

"That was Sophie." Ruth swallowed. "Tower's secretary."

"What is it?" Ros asked.

"Harry never made it to Whitehall."

#############################################

A/N Next time Ros and Lucas meet up. What happened to Harry and is Towers involved? Please review.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer still not mine :(**

**Face Off**

"Harry didn't go?" Dimitri raised an eyebrow as Ros swore.

"He left. He told me he was going to Whitehall. He just didn't arrive there." Ruth frowned as a million and one scenarios flew through her mind. Each worse than the last.

"I'll check the CCTV." Malcolm stated. "We know he was in a pool car."

"Well, a baby seat in the back of the car is hardly the sort of thing a master spy has." Tariq watched as Ruth turned on her heel and left the office.

"Right, you check the CCTV." Ros continued. "Adam, you and..."

"Ros. Go to the hospital." Adam stated calmly. "We will find Harry. For all we know he's gone dark for some reason. Zaf take her to see Lucas."

"Ok." Zaf waited a second, expecting Ros to protest. Instead she nodded before picking up her battered leather jacket. The pod doors whooshed open before the pair could leave.

"This is just what we do not need." Zoe hissed as the grey haired politician approached.

"Leave him to me." Ros snapped.

"Ros, the last thing we need now is someone rocking the boat." Adam warned. Ros glared at the Home Secretary as he walked towards them.

"Rock the boat? No, Adam. I wont rock the boat. I'll sink the damn thing."

####################

Harry swore as the car swerved in front of him. His 4x4 lurched to the left as his foot slammed on the brakes. Car horns blared but he barely recognised them as his car swerved to avoid hitting the Citeron that had effectively pushed him off the road. Breathing heavily he cursed his dodgy knee for hitting the steering column as the short stocky woman who had driven the car stepped into view.

"Harry Pearce." She smirked. "Nice to see you."

"Clare." Harry growled. "I wish I could say the same thing." He registered the small hand gun in her left hand.

"Aw Harry. And Ros was so nice about you, I'd been looking forward to seeing you again."

"Where is she?"

"Dead."

Harry fell silent, his mind filled with images of Amy and James growing up without their mother. He knew he would be the one to tell Lucas what had happened and he dreaded the thought of it. Clare smiled sweetly.

"You're lying."

"Like you lied about Jack?"

"People have died because you believed that that idiot told you. Clare you used to be good at this. You trained with Tom. You nearly joined Section B."

"Counter Terrorism." Clare smirked. "You're the ones that are supposed to stop the destruction. You and the lovely Rosalind are supposed to be running the show."

"We do." Harry stated calmly. "You know that. You of all people know Jack Colville was the best at what he did. The consummate spy. It also makes him the consummate liar."

"No. Jack didn't lie."

"Why did Lisa deserve to die? What had her crime against the great Jack Colville been? She was a junior officer when you were working with Jack. The other two? Franka Lewis and John Peters? Did they deserve to be left to die the way they did? It was you and Kat that killed them."

"You can try proving it." Clare smirked. "Oh wait, no you'll be dead. Bit difficult to solve the murders of three other people when you're dead yourself." She raised the gun as Harry narrowed his eyes. It was then, for the first time that he really believed the woman in front of him was insane.

#####################

"Home Secretary." Ruth pushed her chair back as the grey haired politician arrived at her desk.

"Miss Evershed."

"You know full well her name is Mrs Pearce." Ros snapped as she arrived. "Now, Home Secretary is there a reason for your visit or were you just board of insulting your own staff you felt the need to insult the staff here?"

"Ros."

"William." Ros countered, knowing she was on thin ice.

"I've come to see why Harry didn't attend the meeting this morning."

"We are in the middle of an active op. A very sensitive active operation I may add. Perhaps something came up in relation to a lead. Harry would pursue that rather than attend a meeting." Ruth stated. Towers rolled his eyes, knowing both women would defend Harry to the end. He still wasn't sure what attracted Ruth to the man who was seventeen years her senior.

"Such as?"

"Home Secretary." Malcolm stated calmly. "If Harry has found a lead in this case then I may surmise that he has believed foiling what may have been one of the biggest and most heinous acts of terror on the UK mainland would take precedence over what you said yourself was a mundane meeting. The very nature of our work means we sometimes cannot attend prearranged events." Ros smiled slightly at her friend, aware that he had completely wrong footed the politician. Ruth closed her eyes, trying not to imagine what had really happened.

"Ros." Zaf stated. "We need to go."

"Excuse me, Home Secretary." Ros stepped past them and walked out of the Grid with Zaf at her side.

###########################

"A 4x4 matching the description of the one Harry signed out has been seen in West London." Malcolm stated. Ruth sighed.

"Location?" Dimitri already had his jacket on. "Alec and I'll go looking around down there."

"I'll follow you on CCTV." Malcolm stated. "Be careful."

"Of course we will." Alec smirked before jogging out of the Grid behind the younger man. Ruth cursed under her breath before turning back to her computer screen hoping against hope that she wouldn't have to explain to Nick, Catherine and the others that Harry was never coming home.

#############################

"Thank you." Beth smiled slightly before turning and heading back to the plastic chair outside the ITU waiting room. She was exhausted and incredibly frustrated. It seemed so unfair that Lucas had been injured again. She could picture Amy and James waiting for their parents to come home and it nearly broke her heart.

"Beth?" She snapped her head up as she heard her name.

"Ros." She took a deep breath. "Oh my God. You look like crap."

"Well, isn't everyone just full of compliments today?" Ros snapped back. Zaf smirked.

"Sorry, but she's right."

"You really want to be transferred to Helmand? Or Syria?"

"We don't have a branch there." Beth stated as Zaf's eyebrows shot up.

"No, not yet." Ros watched as Beth rolled her eyes. "Lucas?"

"The doctor just came to see me."

"And?"

"Ros, he was badly hurt. Not like when he was stabbed but badly hurt."

Ros nodded, remembering the time Sasha had lunged forward, aiming to stab a heavily pregnant Ruth only for Lucas to get between them. He'd been in ITU for seven days, fourteen hours and thirty three minutes. Not that she had been counting.

"He's had a lung collapsed and had a bad head injury."

"He's ok now." Zaf watched Ros, aware that Lucas was the only man she had ever really let herself fall for, since Jack.

"He's had his lung inflated." Beth sighed and the concussion has settled. "He was asking for you, Ros." She nodded as a nurse left the room on her left. She noticed Lucas' name on the door. Zaf ran a hand through his dark hair and watched as she walked towards the nurse.

"I'm Ros North." Ros stated. "Lucas' wife."

"Oh hi." The nurse smiled. "He's awake. You can go in for a few minutes. We're hoping to transfer him to the ward later today but he's insisting on signing himself out."

"Sounds like Lucas." Ros deadpanned. She glanced back to where Beth and Zaf were talking quietly and she knew he was telling her about the op so far. Before she had a chance to register what she was doing her hand was on the door handle. She pushed the door open to see Lucas watching her.

"You can't be left alone for ten minutes." Ros stated as Lucas smiled slightly.

"Knew you'd turn up."

"Like bad pennies do." Ros crossed the room to him. He caught her hand in his and tugged slightly. The monitors beeped in protest at the sudden movement.

"Ros."

"Hey." She touched his cheek, still covered in day old beard growth. "It's ok."

"I tried to stop them."

"I know." She held his gaze. "I know. I'm going to see the children. See if I can get them and the others in a safe house. I know Carrie will over react but I don't like the thought of them being exposed. Clare is still out there."

"She isn't touching our kids." Lucas' voice fell low. Deadly serious. Ros nodded, knowing he would die before he let anything happen to her or the children.

"I know." She repeated. "Lucas."

"I'm ok." He smiled. "It's you I'm worried about."

"Don't be." Ros kissed his cheek as her eyes fell closed. "Don't worry about me."

"But."

"The only ones who need to be concerned about me is Kat and Clare. Jack Colville may have lied to them but it is time I told them a few home truths."

####################################

A/N Please review. I think I have at most two or three chapters left. Does anyone want me to write Harry's Game? A case from the mid 1980s nearly killed Juliet Shaw. If it wasn't for Harry, Alec and Connie she'd have died. Now, almost three decades later the man that tried to kill her and Harry is back. Let me know what you think. Is anyone reading Spooks fics anymore?


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Home Truths**

Ros closed the door of Lucas' hospital room and closed her eyes. She was physically exhausted, not even sure when she had last slept. The hallucination she believed Jo to be still fresh in her mind.

"How is he?" Zaf looked up at his friend.

"In pain but lying to everyone. They think the chest drain can come out later tomorrow."

"That's good." Zaf nodded. "Not him being in pain but with the drain coming out. You should get your shoulder looked at while we're here."

"No." Ros frowned. "Where's Beth?"

"Erin called. They've gone after a lead. Something about seeing one of Harry's old informants. Adam is on the Grid with Ruth and the Geek Squad."

"Do not let Malcolm hear you calling him that." Ros smiled slightly, knowing Malcolm would not be impressed. Zaf shrugged his shoulders. "Alec and Dimitri? Zoe?"

"Zoe's stuck in the archives looking for anything we may have missed on Jack Colville. Dimitri and Alec are looking for Harry. Tariq found his last known location."

"Good." Ros sighed. "Call Zoe, tell her to dig around in MI 6 archives. If she can't get in there maybe Ruth can. Jack was the best at what he did."

"I know you were close." Zaf fell into step alongside her.

"Everyone seems to know." Ros sighed. "It was a long time ago."

"Yeah. But three people have died, Ros. Lucas could have been number four."

"I know." Ros snapped. "I damn well know this is all my fault."

"What?" Zaf followed her out into the car park. "How is any of this your fault?"

"Fifteen years ago I was a stupid young officer, as green as grass."

"You were 25. A year younger than Tariq is now."

"And dating my senior officer. I was stupid enough to think Jack and I had a future." Ros couldn't quite believe the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"That isn't stupid." Zaf frowned. "I thought me and Jo."

"Something else that is my fault." Ros sighed as she folded her arms across her chest. Zaf knew there was little chance of getting through to her when she as in a mood like this. Zaf shook his head sadly.

"Ros."

"Then we break up and seven years later my father ends up in prison and I am forced to leave 6."

"Yeah but you ended up with us." Zaf smiled.

"It was either that or end up in prison with my father." Ros watched as Zaf raised an eyebrow. "Seriously Zaf. It was me that made Tariq change the name on that file. That made Jack come after me. It was five years ago Zaf. Before Lucas and I got together. Before you and Adam came home. He was going to kill me."

"I heard."

"I should have let him." Ros deadpanned. Her eyes blank of all expression.

"And if you had there would be no Amy, no James." He watched as Ros took a deep breath.

"My mess, Zaf and now Lucas and Harry are paying for it. Franka, Lisa and Peter are dead. My mess, not theirs."

"Their murders are not your fault."

"I should have stopped Jack when he was alive. Stopped him writing that book. He told me he had only written one draft. He lied to me so many times, tried to convince me Harry was involved in torturing suspects in Gibraltar. He was never even in the country when that was supposed to have happened. Believe me I checked. He was in Belfast, trying not to get blown up by either the Republicans or the Unionists."

"So?"

"So." Ros repeated. "It's my mess, I'll sort it."

Zaf swore under his breath as she walked away, leaving him staring after her.

################################

"Abandoned 4x4 just off Mill Lane." Tariq stated. Ruth looked up to see the younger man walking towards her.

"It's the pool car."

"Yeah." Tariq nodded. "Calum is trying to confirm the plates now. I've sent Alec and Dimitri there. Erin called in. She's with Beth heading towards Piccadilly."

"Ok." Ruth closed her eyes, aware that both Adam and Tariq were watching her. She had a very funny feeling they were as worried about Harry as she was, only that neither wanted to say exactly what they were thinking. Kat Vladir and her sidekick had been responsible for the deaths of three MI 6 officers. Ruth pushed the thought that Harry had been the victim of the same fate.

"I'm following them on CCTV in case they need back up." Tariq stated. Adam nodded.

"Thanks Tariq." Adam frowned slightly. "Any news on Ros and Zaf?"

"Not yet." The phone ringing in the background startled Ruth from her thoughts. She watched as Calum picked up the phone and swore.

"What is it?" Adam headed towards him.

"Ros, she's gone dark. Told Lucas she was going to see the kids and then told Zaf this was all her fault." Calum explained. Adam swore under his breath as Ruth closed her eyes.

"What?" Malcolm approached. "What has Ros done?"

"Nothing." Ruth sighed. "Either that or something incredibly stupid."

###############################

Harry stared at the woman holding the gun to him. It wasn't the first time it had happened. It was never a pleasant experience but this time he really couldn't see the way out.

"Sir Harry Pearce." She shook her head as she levelled the gun at him.

"You were in love with Colville." Harry stated calmly. "I never could understand what seemingly intelligent women saw in him."

"You don't know anything."

"Jack was a liar. It was what made him so good at what he did."

"No." Her voice was dangerously low. "No, you don't understand."

"You and Kat." Harry sighed. "A young girl like her. He messed with her mind, the same way he messed with yours and Ros'"

"Ros Myers is not an innocent in this. She died a liar."

"The same as Jack then." Harry stated. "Ros is the best officer I've ever worked with. Jack recruited her, it's the only thing I have to thank him for."

"He should have killed her. He should have finished what he started. The bitch signed that form. If she hadn't Kat's mother would have been alive today. She caused all this."

"It wasn't her." Harry stated calmly.

"Her name is on that form. I saw it! She signed it. It was her that signed that order."

"No, it wasn't." Harry stepped forward, holding his hand out to her. "It wasn't Ros Myers. How easy do you think it is to change records? To cut one name and replace it with another?"

"No."

"Apparently my technical staff are more up on this that I am. We changed the name. You will never know who it was."

"You're lying." The gun wavered slightly. Harry kept his eyes on her, pushing all thoughts of his team away from him. He couldn't let himself think of Ruth and the children. He just couldn't.

"No." A voice from behind Clare startled her even more. The gun wavered in her hands. "He isn't lying. Not this time. I ordered the name change." Clare spun round to see Ros staring at her. "You knew I wasn't dead, stop looking so surprised."

"Ros."

"Yeah, large as life and twice as pissed off." Ros narrowed her eyes. "You put my husband in ITU, all because of a lie."

"You still have your husband."

"I am not going to argue with you about Jack. He did what he did and he paid for it. He could have killed me. I didn't try to stop him. It was his choice to turn the gun on himself. It was his choice to blow out his brains."

"You bitch!" Clare screamed as she lunged towards Ros. Harry moved as fast as he could but it was still no match for the younger women. Ros grabbed Clare as they fell to the floor. Seconds later both were fighting for control of the gun. It scattered towards the wheels of Ros' car. Harry picked it up and checked the chamber. Pointing it at the brawling women he hoped he didn't have to pull the trigger.

#########################

A/N A reviewer said there would be no emotional fall out. Well, we'll see about that. Please review.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer - not mine**

**End of the Beginning**

"Harry." Dimitri called as he jumped out of the car. Alec was seconds behind him, cursing the younger, fitter man. Ros grappled with the woman before yanking her to her feet.

"You took your time." She narrowed her eyes as the two men approached.

"You're welcome." Alec deadpanned.

"Ma'am." Dimitri cringed as he realised his mistake. Hierarchy was not something Ros alluded to unless she really had to. Everyone knew she didn't appreciate others referring to it. Ros narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Deal with this." She pushed Clare towards her. "I'll see you back at Thames House."

"Ros." Harry watched as Dimitri and Alec led the woman away. She fought against Alec but seemed to realise that she was not going to break free of the two larger men. Ros turned to see Harry disarming the gun.

"You should go back to Thames House. Talk to Ruth." Ros ran a hand through her blonde hair. He nodded once before hiding the gun out of sight in the car.

"And where are you going?"

"That book." Ros stared at the 4x4. "Jack's book. It was supposed to cover his early years at 6. How he was recruited, his life in Serbia. Not once was Kat Vladir mentioned. Lisa, Franka and Peter were all in there. You were mentioned."

"I was never in Gibraltar. I've never served over there. If he had said Belfast or Munich he would have been nearer the mark. You know that. And I have never condoned torture. My God, Ros. That was the whole reason Ruth faked her own death! Mace tried to pin that one on me too."

"Fox." Ros sighed. "I remember."

"Well."

"Another mistake of mine that nearly got good people killed. This time people really have died." Ros' voice dropped to barely a whisper. Harry watched her for a moment.

"Ros, none of this is your fault." Harry spoke calmly. "Jack wrote that blasted book. This is his fault. He started killing officers - he would have killed you." Ros stared at the car, seemingly lost in thought.

"Jack died six months after I killed Jo."

"Jo chose not to wear her vest. She chose to leave her gun outside." Harry knew he was stating what she already knew, what she had heard a million times. "You didn't set out to kill her. That bullet stopped a massacre."

"Well, she's still dead."

"And you don't think there's a day I don't blame myself for that? Or for Helen, or Colin, Fiona or Ben dying on my watch. Four officers, four young people ripped from this world before their time."

"Harry."

"No, Ros. You think this is about you. Your guilt. Your need to blame yourself for what happened to Joanna. What? So Jack blew his brains out. You think he should have killed you. That you should have been the one with her brains over the floor. For God's sake, Ros."

"If he had pulled the trigger we wouldn't be here now. Three innocent people would be alive."

"And Amy and James? You wish them out of existance? You don't know that Kat and Clare wouldn't have done this. You don't know that Jack killing you would have changed anything."

"And you don't know that it wouldn't."

"Ros." Harry watched as she closed her eyes. It was the first time Harry had really seen behind the Ice Queen mask. Ros North was much different to the Ros Myers that walked into the Grid everyday. He shook his head sadly. "Your loyal to a fault but sometimes you misplace that loyalty."

"Yalta." Ros sighed. "My father."

"Colville. You were young and an aspiring officer." Harry paused. "He knew that and he used that. Years later he turned up and abused that latent trust you had in him."

"Good God. You make me sound as naive as Ruth."

"Ruth is many things but she was never that." Harry sighed. "Neither were you. Just trusted the wrong thing. In her case she trusted the system. You trusted Colville. Both learned by that I hope."

"Men." Ros glared at Harry. Suddenly the Ice Queen was back. "That was something Ruth has been right about. You have it so easy in this job." Harry nodded.

"Thats as maybe." Harry agreed. "But male or female no one should let their past destroy them."

#####################################

Lucas winced as the nurse pulled the tape from his dressing. It pulled against his skin, causing him to bite his bottom lip.

"Sorry." The nurse smiled slightly. Lucas nodded. He didn't really care how painful the dressing changes were, he knew that now the chest drain was out it was only a matter of time until he got to go home.

"Right. All done." She smiled as she stepped back. Lucas nodded, relieved that he was finally going to be left alone. He had enough of doctors and nurses pulling him around. All he wanted to do was go home, read the kids stories and curl up with Ros on the sofa. He hated being away from them and knew Amy would be throwing tantrums due to the fact he wasn't there when he ought to be.

"Hi." He looked up as the door to his hospital room opened.

"Ros, I."

"Daddy!" Amy ran to him and jumped on the bed. Ros smiled slightly.

"I thought. The safe house?" He winced as Amy flung her arms around his neck. James curled into Ros, smiling shyly at his father and sister.

"It's ok." Ros held his gaze. "Harry and I pulled in Clare about an hour ago. Adam and Erin are questioning her now. Kat has to be assessed by the psychs before we can continue talking to her. But for the moment it looks like we have put this to an end before anyone else in that book got hurt."

"Daddy."

"Yes Amy." Lucas pushed her dark black hair away from her face. "What is it?"

"You are coming home? You are, aren't you? Only Emma said."

"I'll be having words with Emma Reynolds. Or her mother at least." Ros stated.

"No, she said you were hurt and the doctors would keep you here forever. Her great grandad went to hospital and then Hevan. You aren't going to do that?"

"No I'm not." Lucas stated calmly. "I'll be home before you know it and I am not going anywhere for a very long time."

"Ok." Amy smiled. Lucas caught Ros' free hand in his own as she watched her daughter try to make sense of what was going on around her. Apparently satisfied Amy started talking about her day with Carrie. Lucas listened atentively as Ros thought back on Harry's words from earlier in the day.

######################

"Ok, it's official." Calum stated as Erin and Beth walked back onto the Grid.

"What is?" Beth sighed as she flopped down in her chair.

"Kat Vladir has a screw loose."

"Mental Illness is not something to laugh at." Ruth snapped. "It can affect anyone. You wouldn't laugh if she was asthmatic or had diabetes. Why laugh because they think she has paranoid schziophrenia."

"True." Calum nodded. "Then I would just think she was an evil bitch that killed my mate."

"I."

"Lisa didn't deserve it."

"No." Harry walked back onto the Grid as Calum looked away. Adam and Dimitri fell silent while Zoe and Zaf stared at their desk tops. "No, she didn't deserve to die the way she did. Neither did any of them. Kat is a very unwell young woman. Clare and Jack Colville knew that and used it. Just because Jack Colville is dead doesn't make it any less his fault. It just means we can't prove his culpability in a court of law."

"Clare isn't talking." Adam stated calmly. "I've requested she is charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and perverting the course of justice. She just smirks."

"And the book." Alec looked up from his paperwork. "What happens to that?"

"It was fiction." Harry stated. "Colville used real names, like Ros' and mine but that was the only shard of truth in it. I know you've all read it. Lisa Davies was not involved in any drug running. Neither was Franka and Lisa involved in the death of Kat's mother. We will never know who really signed that order but it was not Ros and it was not carried out by any officers of MI-6." He turned and walked into his office, aware that Ruth was staring at him. He kept his back to her as he closed his eyes and tried to calm his nerves. He had really believed Ros had wanted to die, that she really believed they would have all been better off if Jack had shot her all those years ago. Minutes passed before the door to his office slid open.

"Ruth."

"Adam sent everyone home. I called Ros, it looks like Lucas will be home by the end of the week."

"Good." Harry smiled slightly. "Ruth."

She smiled slightly before walking towards him. "It isn't your fault. You couldn't stop Ros ordering Tariq to change the name on that file. You didn't have chance to stop her."

"We knew she was on a death wish after Jo."

"Not your fault." Ruth touched his hand. "You can't take the blame for everything that happens to your team."

He held her gaze, his eyes filled with sadness and guilt. Ruth reached up and touched his face. "Not your fault. Ros is the best as what she does. She wouldn't be Section Chief here if she wasn't." She watched as his eyes fell closed. "It's over. She isn't going to jump in front of a bus, she isn't going to get herself killed. Not now she has Lucas and the children. You have to stop blaming yourself. The only ones to carry any blame in this are Colville and Clare. Even Kat was used. It's what Colville was good at."

"He abused Ros' trust." Harry sighed. "I get the feeling if they had never met the Ros we have now would be a very different woman."

"Maybe." Ruth sighed. "And maybe she wouldn't be the best at what she does." He kissed her palm as she spoke.

"Harry, stop worrying and take me home."

"That's the best idea you've had since this whole thing started." He opened his eyes as she tugged on his tie. "Bed."

"Ruth, I'm exhausted." He let her lead him to the Pods at the other end of the Grid.

"To sleep." Ruth raised an eyebrow. "Before the next crisis hits us."

Harry chuckled slightly before taking her hand and leading her out of the Grid, hoping that the next crisis was far away. Somewhere in the back ofhis mind he wondered just how much more his team could take.

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A/N And I think I'll leave this story there. Please review. Harry's Game up soon.


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